Classic Trial Magazine Issue 34 Autumn 2020

MOTORCYCLE • CYCLE • SIDECAR • CLASSIC • COMPETITION • FEATURES

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34

GORI REVISITED

MACHINE

CLASSIC RIDER

CATCH UP

Autumn 2020

ISSUE 34 • UK: £6.99

AJS RAY SAYER CHRIS GRIFFIN REVISITED

MACHINE

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Trial Magazine • Welcome

CONTACT Online: www.trialmaguk.com Telephone: 01663 749163 Email: england@trialmag.com Address: 48 Albion Road, New Mills, High Peak, Derbyshire, SK22 3EX United Kingdom THE TEAM Co-Managing Directors John Hulme & Charles Benhamou Executive Director Philippe Benhamou Editor John Hulme

(NUJ No: 949620)

Advertising Manager Lisa Reeves lisa@trialmag.com Editorial Staff Jean Caillou, Matthew Heppleston, Heath Brindley, Justyn Norek Snr, Justyn Norek Jnr, Nick Shield and John Moffat.

Photographers Barry Robinson, Malcolm Carling, John Shirt Snr, Colin Bullock, Cyrille Barthe, Eric Kitchen, Alan Vines, Toon van de Vliet, Mauri/Fontsere Collection and the Giulio Mauri Copyright, The Nick Nicholls Collection at Mortons Archive, Don Morley, Motorcycle News and Brian Holder.

Proof reading Jane Hulme and Davina Brooks Design and Production Dean Cook The Magazine Production Company www.magazineproduction.com Printing: Buxtons Press © 2020 CJ Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publishers.

Great care is taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this publication, but neither CJ Publishing Ltd or the editor can be held responsible for its contents.

The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Publishers.

Trial Magazine is published by: CJ Publishing Limited, registered in England Number: 5947718.

Trial Magazine: ISSN: 1753-0040.

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Picture: 1980 Wye Valley Trial - Peter Cartwright (325cc Comerford’s Bultaco) • Credit: Alan Vines Front Cover: 1980 David Hooke (Gori) • Picture Credit: Alan Vines

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Trial Magazine• Welcome

WELCOME

FEATURES

CLASSIC CHAT

16

CLASSIC COMPETITION

18

MACHINE

28

REVISITED

40

CLASSIC RIDER

54

INTERNATIONAL

62

CATCH UP

70

SIDECAR

76

REPLICA

82

PROJECT

86

Tam Weir

1980 British Championship Mitchell Trial Two-Stroke AJS Gori Motorcycles Ray Sayer

1980 FIM WTC Part Two Chris Griffin

1979 British Trials Championship 1:6 Scale Models Heath’s Beta TR34

REGULAR SECTIONS NEWS TRIALS GURU PADDOCK SHOPPING SUBSCRIBE POSTER BACK ISSUES PARTS LOCATOR SHOP

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

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News • The world of Classic Trials

IN-MOTION: MAJESTY Dave Renham at Inmotion Trials is the new owner of the Majesty-Yamaha name. He made the purchase of all the stock and the domain name for Majesty-Yamaha from Steve Martin. Despite the fact that Steve enjoyed the association with the Majesty-Yamaha brand and supplying all of the parts to keep them all running, other work commitments have forced a change of direction.

He will still be seen competing in the twin-shock trials he enjoys so much on a variety of machines.

He would like to thank everyone for their past business.

Very much known around the world for the supply of spares for a wide range of twin-shock trials machines, Inmotion welcomes the addition of the Majesty-Yamaha name to the ever-expanding parts inventory.

Dave Renham: “The telephone call from John E Shirt as the originator of the Majesty Yamaha machines was most welcome as he wished me all the best with my new venture. John, along with Mick Andrews, brought the Majesty Yamaha engine machines alive back in the late ‘70s when they were a huge success. John also reminded me that

I was one of the very first Gas Gas dealers when he started to import the early air-cooled models. My association with the Shirt family goes back a long way, and it is very nice to have their seal of approval.

“I have many new ideas for parts for the Majesty

CLASSIC EVENTS 2020

Yamaha although it will probably take a while to see them come to life, but I have all the stock from Steve Martin to be going on with. The Majesty Yamaha brand name will run along with all the other twinshock names we are proudly associated with”.

HIGHLAND AND LEVEN VALLEY TWO-DAY TRIALS 2021

With the cancellation of the Pre-65 Scottish in May 2020, both the Highland and Leven Valley Two-Day Trials also followed suit and were cancelled. In our ‘Classic Chat’ column in this magazine you can find out more about the reasons for the cancellation of the Kinlochlevenbased events. All three hugely popular competitions are scheduled to resume in 2021 so please keep your eyes on the various social media and website outlets to find out more. Going forward, Classic Trial Magazine will continue to be a part of the sponsorship for both the Highland and Leven Valley Two-Day Trials in the future.

Despite the ongoing threat of the Coronavirus around the world, the control of it has allowed two organisers to press on with preparing for events in Europe. As we went to print both the Ventoux Team Trial in France, on the 10th and 11th October, and the Costa Brava Two Day in Spain, on the 21st and 22nd November, were planned to go ahead. Both the organisers are working with local officials in order to keep everyone safe and to welcome them to the area.

Both the clubs are very experienced at organising events that attract quite a large gathering, as they have done in the past, but it will also be up to the riders and visitors to remain very responsible for their actions.

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Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

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John Moffat • Trials Guru

TRIALS GURU

PAUSE PRESSED

On the microphone at the 2019 Scottish Six Days Trial with Nevis Radio, Michelin and Trial Magazine.

We are all too aware of the serious effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and how it has interrupted daily life. Having been keen to progress with the build of my special Bultaco 370 Sherpa, I had to take a break from it for a while due to curtailed travelling and businesses being closed and staff ‘furloughed’. The 370 project has simply been ‘temporarily suspended’ with the pause button pressed. I continued to do work on my very original and unmolested 1973 325 Sherpa, bought two years ago from a good friend, and my Honda 305 works replica, using parts that I had already collected plus the obligatory ‘elbow grease’. More on the 370 Sherpa in later issues. Hopefully, you have fared well during lockdown with whatever projects you may have on the go?

Words: John Moffat • Pictures: Brian Holder, Malcolm Carling, Yoomee Archive and Allen Collier

O

ur esteemed editor, John Hulme, freely admits that it takes a team of enthusiasts to put Classic Trial Magazine together and I had offered to write for him an article on Triumph ‘works’ rider, Ray Sayer, in time for this edition.

When carefully researching Ray’s story, it emerged that he had ridden a semi-works AJS in the 1969 SSDT. When John received the Sayer article copy, he telephoned me to ask if I would be interested in writing another article, this time on the two-stroke AJS? The reason being is that I am older and – allegedly – wiser than Mr Hulme!

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

In 2007 with Mike Rapley. John Hulme freely admits that it takes a team of enthusiasts to put Classic Trial Magazine together.

TASK NUMBER TWO

I agreed to task number two and set to work, scanning my phone book of former riders once again, searching for meaningful information.

What a labour of love trials journalism really is!

To carefully research and to contact those great people who were ‘there’ at the time. To gain first-hand accounts of riders and their machines from half a century ago is truly fascinating work. The finished article always looks different in the magazine compared to being viewed on my computer. The reason being that the photographs taken at the time, carefully selected and captioned, bring these articles to

With Barry Robinson at the 2014 Scott Trial. John Hulme remains eternally grateful for the support from Barry Robinson in the early days of the magazines.

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Trials Guru • John Moffat

I had offered to write an article on Triumph ‘works’ rider Ray Sayer in time for this edition. It was a pleasure to speak with him and generate such a superb article.

Speaking with the likes of Tony Davis paid huge dividends; what absolute nuggets of information were gleaned from this sort of call!

“I personally get a real ‘buzz’ out of researching the subject matter, but it does take up a lot of time, especially when holding down a daytime job and running one’s own website!” life; and as a result, we are all indebted to the photographers who have made this all possible.

A few well-planned telephone calls to Ray Sayer, Bill Wilkinson, Blackie Holden, Tony Davis, John Pye, Colin Dommett, Nick Brown, and Norman Edgar paid huge dividends; what absolute nuggets of information were gleaned from those calls! People who know what they are talking about and with a wealth of knowledge about the sport. Thanks to them, I was able to write not one but two articles in double-quick time.

REAL ‘BUZZ’

I personally get a real ‘buzz’ out of researching the subject matter, but it does take up a lot of time, especially when holding down a daytime job and running one’s own website! Seeing the finished article in print is more than enough reward for the effort. It is safe to say that going back 50 years is almost on the limit,

being within living memory. Few current-day enthusiasts are interested in the sport preWW2. The aim is to put as much into record now before it is lost forever. Ray Sayer is now 84 years of age and the AJS model he rode in 1969 dates back 51 of those years. It needed to be done and done properly!

‘RAFE’

The only thing I am conscious of, apart from time, is the amount of words used in an article.

The late Ralph ‘Rafe’ Venables accused me, quite rightly, of over-use of the written word.

“Why use five words John if one will do? – Be economical with them, they are costly!” he once quipped when we conversed at the Scottish, many years ago. I was taken aback at his comment but, given that he was the ‘doyen’ of the off-road motorcycling journalistic world, I accepted his criticism.

The good news is that there are still more

articles to come. I have already embarked on one, the subject being a sorely missed, exceptionally good trials and motocross rider for a future edition, and I have started gathering information already. More telephone calls are planned. There is always something worthwhile to do.

LOCKDOWN

As for the Covid-19 lockdown, enthusiasts have been busy even though there have been no events or shows to go to. The classic suppliers and dealers that I have spoken to are booming, some busier than ever before, including Trial and Classic Trial Magazine with some excellent article content.

Some people have had more leisure time afforded to them, and they have not been idle, be it getting around to doing their own restoration or rebuilding a tired old war-horse.

Let us hope that we can get back to some form of normality soon, whether that be riding or just appreciating classic trials machines. www.trialsguru.net

Bill Wilkinson is always a mind of information.

When John received the Sayer article copy, he telephoned me to ask if I would be interested in writing another article, this time on the two-stroke AJS.

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With Gordon McLaughlan, former AJS factory rider at the 2019 Scott Trial; what a great bloke!

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS

TONI BOU 14 x FIM X-Trial World Champion (Indoor) 13 x FIM Trial World Champion (Outdoor)

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Paddock • Caught on camera: Pipeline

SMILE

OFF LINE

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FORWARD

LADIES’ DAY

NOT SURE

PERFECTION

12

OVER & OUT

STRETCH

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Caught on camera: Pipeline • Paddock

CALM

ENOUGH

FIVE

THIS WAY

WAIT

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

DD

GOD KNOWS

WHEELIE

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Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

What’s new • Shopping

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Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

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Classic chat • Tam Weir

SCOTTISH TRIALS

GOING FORWARD Everyone in the classic world of motorcycle trials was hugely disappointed with the news that the Pre-65 Scottish was cancelled in May, but further cancellations came in both June and September, hitting the Highland and Leven Valley Two Day events, due to the Coronavirus. Going forward, all these events will continue in 2021 as long as we have found a way to deal with this dreaded disease. Classic Trial Magazine caught up with Tam Weir from the Kinlochleven & District MCC to find out more.

Words: Tam Weir • Pictures: Trials Media

I

live and work in Kinlochleven and the surrounding areas and we, as a club, at Kinlochleven & District MCC, have to understand and respect the people of the community. Both the Pre-65 and, for that matter, the Scottish Six Days Trial and our own Leven Valley Two Day event brings a massive influx of visitors to the area, as does the Highland Two Day Trial into Inverness and its surrounding areas. The village community in Kinlochleven enjoys the sport of motorcycle trials and welcomes the visitors and the much-needed tourism revenue that comes with the events.

Our small corner of Scotland has been welcoming motorcycle riders for many years, 16

and long may it continue. One of the main reasons for cancelling our event in September was to protect the more elderly element of the community from the Coronavirus as we had kept a clean sheet during the outbreak. We have to all understand that until a vaccine is found, we cannot guarantee the safety of the villagers or the visitors.

As a community in Kinlochleven, we have all worked hard to protect our future, and that most certainly involves motorcycle trials. The plus point from all of this disruption is the fact that the surrounding areas have all had time to recover. Unfortunately, due to a small-minded selfish minority, we have had some illegal riding in the area, and this has to stop with immediate

effect. We have a robust and excellent relationship with the surrounding estate and landowners. Still, they have reported sightings of this illegal activity, and we must – and will – act on any unlawful riding or trespass on their ground.

Many of you will have seen some of the estate owners at our awards presentation in 2019. They enjoy the sport just as much as we do. Plans have already been drawn up to run the events mentioned above in 2021 and, fingers crossed, they can all go ahead. Please keep your eyes open for any information on the events in this publication, or on the club websites, as we look forward to seeing you all to enjoy motorcycle trials in the Highlands once again.”

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Classic Competition • 1980

Rob Shepherd (Honda).

Martin Lampkin (Bultaco).

CLASSIC TRIAL ACTION

ACU BRITISH TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP

Attracting entries of well-over one hundred riders at each of the five opening rounds of the 1980 ACU British Trials Championship, three Yorkshire riders were fighting for the championship lead before the break for the all-important Scottish Six Days Trial in May. With four different winners from the opening five-round series, we take a brief look at the opening rounds before moving on to the main focus of this article, round five: the Mitchell Trial.

Words: Yoomee,Alan Wright, Alan Vines and Mike Rapley Pictures: Alan Vines, Eric Kitchen and Mauri/Fontsere Collection and the Giulio Mauri Copyright

SHEPHERD LEADS

After the opening four rounds, it was three riders, Rob Shepherd, Martin Lampkin and Malcolm Rathmell, who had broken away at the top of the Championship table. Of these three the only rider not to have won a round was Rathmell. John Reynolds had dropped just off the pace to hold fourth position in the championship, having won round two.

ROUND 1: ST DAVID’S TRIAL

With the opening round of the FIM World Trials Championship just around the corner, the ACU British Trials Championship welcomed American riders Bernie Schreiber and Marland Whaley who, along with Japan’s Kiyoteru Hattori, added an international ‘feel’ to the series.

On a wet day in the Welsh Valleys eventual winner, Martin Lampkin and his fellow ‘Yorkie’ Malcolm Rathmell came under attack from one of the new breed of younger riders, Mike Skinner. He eventually lost out on a tie decider with Rathmell as Rob Shepherd came home in fourth position followed by an on-form Tony Calvert who, along with Norman Shepherd, had made the move from Bultaco. On a day with the time element playing a part in the final results, it was left to Schreiber to uphold international honours as he took the final championship point in tenth position.

RESULTS: 1: Martin Lampkin (Bultaco) 20; 2: Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa) 24; 3: Mike Skinner (Montesa) 24; 4: Rob Shepherd (Honda) 31; 5: Tony Calvert (Ossa) 33; 6: Chris Myers (Bultaco) 34; 7: Nigel Birkett (Montesa) 34; 8: Norman Shepherd (Ossa) 36; 9: Chris Clarke (Montesa) 37; 10: Bernie Schreiber (Bultaco-USA) 37.

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Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa).

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

1980 • Classic Competition

ROUND 3: CLEVELAND TRIAL

Take a good trials rider on form, and they will be unbeatable, and that’s exactly what Rob Shepherd was at the Cleveland Trial.

Riding the Honda in a very confident mood the 12-mark winning advantage over Malcolm Rathmell told its own story. No one had an answer to ‘Shep’ when he was in this mood, and he pulled himself right back into contention in the Championship table.

Martin Lampkin came bouncing back from a poor result, by his high standards, in the previous round as Mick Andrews came home fourth on the Majesty Yamaha in front of John Reynolds.

With three different winners from the first three rounds, the championship was still wide open as the fight continued with riders looking for more consistent results. Still riding in the championship events, Jim Sandiford won the ‘Best Over-40’ rider award.

RESULTS: 1: Rob Shepherd (Honda) 29; 2: Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa) 41; 3: Martin Lampkin (Bultaco) 43; 4: Mick Andrews (Majesty Yamaha) 44; 5: John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki) 48; 6: Chris Sutton (Montesa) 54; 7: Peter Cartwright (Bultaco) 55; 8: Chris Clarke (Montesa) 59; 9: Nigel Birkett (Montesa) 63; 10: Mike Skinner (Montesa) 63.

ROUND 4: LOMAX TRIAL

Colmore Trial winner: John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki).

ROUND 2: COLMORE TRIAL

On a very cold, wet day it was John Reynolds who used all the power and torque from the 325cc Beamish Suzuki to take his second ACU British Championship, having scored his first in 1979 at the Victory Trial. It was a Japanese ‘One-Two’ as Rob Shepherd pushed him all the way on the four-stroke Honda. These two were head and shoulders above the rest of the entry as Malcolm Rathmell came home a distant third in front of a very happy Alan Wright as the first Bultaco rider home. He headed home Dave Thorpe as Steve Wilson scored his first British Championship points on the SWM. Schreiber scored points once again, as did Montesa mounted Chris Clarke, but it was a disaster for Martin Lampkin as he scored just two points from a ninth position in front of Chris Sutton.

RESULTS: 1: John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki) 54; 2: Rob Shepherd (Honda) 57; 3: Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa) 68; 4; Alan Wright (Bultaco) 95; 5: Dave Thorpe (Bultaco) 97; 6: Steve Wilson (SWM) 100; 7: Bernie Schreiber (Bultaco-USA) 102; 8: Chris Clarke (Montesa) 106; 9: Martin Lampkin (Bultaco) 107; 10: Chris Sutton (Montesa) 108.

St David’s Trial winner: Martin Lampkin (Bultaco).

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Cleveland Trial winner: Rob Shepherd (Honda).

Once again it was a strong entry of 150 riders entered in the event, and as usual, the time allowance of six hours kept the riders on the move all day.

On a warm Bank Holiday Easter Monday, the fight for the British Championship was thrown wide open in North Wales. The top three positions went down to a tie decider as Martin Lampkin, Rob Shepherd and Malcolm Rathmell all parted with 26 marks.

Just missing out on 27 marks lost in fourth position was John Reynolds, the winner of round two. In fifth position and continuing with his improved results was Peter Cartwright, followed closely

by Mike Skinner. After his win at the Cleveland, Shepherd retained the overall championship lead on 47 points, with Lampkin and Rathmell remaining in close company on 44 and 42 points respectively.

RESULTS: 1: Martin Lampkin (Bultaco) 26 (36 Cleans); 2: Rob Shepherd (Honda) 26 (35 Cleans); 3: Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa) 26 (32 Cleans); 4: John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki) 27; 5: Peter Cartwright (Bultaco) 35; 6: Mike Skinner (Montesa) 39; 7: Nigel Birkett (Montesa) 44; 8: Mick Andrews (Majesty Yamaha) 44; 9: Chris Sutton (Montesa) 45; 10: Nick Jefferies (Montesa) 49.

Lomax Trial winner: Martin Lampkin (Bultaco).

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Classic Competition • 1980

RATHMELL’S ‘VIVA’ MONTESA Round five the of the 1980 ACU British Trials Championship would be the Mitchell Trial held on Saturday 12th April under clear blue skies in the Welsh valleys. It was organised and run by the Merthyr Motor Club and the BSSA on behalf of the East South Wales Centre ACU for the 49th time.

Words: Yoomee, Alan Wright, Alan Vines and Mike Rapley • Pictures: Alan Vines, Eric Kitchen and Mauri/Fontsere Collection and the Giulio Mauri Copyright. Huge appreciation to the photographers and riders who have helped generate this article, John Hulme, editor.

T

Martin Lampkin (Bultaco): It must have been a tough start to the year with the problems at Bultaco. He was very much living out of his own pocket, and it is a credit to him that he was getting the results he was with so much on his mind. He had ridden for Bultaco since 1971 and was a very loyal, proud man.

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he start, located at Thorn Lighting Limited, Swansea Road, Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, would see off the 115 solo riders at 10.00am followed by the 18 sidecars at 11.00am. Sponsorship for the event came from Duckhams Oils, providing financial support and riding bibs, and local trials dealership Bob Wilding Motorcycles.

Many officials, observers and riders arrived early to make use of the excellent restaurant facilities of Thorn Lighting before the action commenced. The trials world was alive with action, with one of the main talking points relating to the financial and production problems of the ailing Spanish factory, Bultaco.

The tyre to use was the Pirelli, but Michelin was making inroads to the market, and there was talk of the new French rubber being available at the Scottish Six Days Trial. It was rapidly approaching, and many riders were giving their machines a last ‘Shake Down’ before the event.

Ossa had a good presence with their riders on their green machines awaiting the arrival of the new ‘Yellow Gripper’ model; would it arrive in time for the SSDT? The man on form at the Mitchell though was eventual winner Malcolm Rathmell, who would take a clear 11-mark win from Martin Lampkin. As he left the event, the youngest of the three Lampkin brothers was about to shock the trials world as he would make a move from Bultaco to the Italian SWM for the Scottish Six Days Trial in just two weeks.

A very traditional trial with very natural terrain, it was contested over a 35-mile course consisting of 36 sections over two loops; a north and south. The odd numbers would ride the north loop first, and the even numbers would ride the south. The time limit was six hours. The non-championship sidecar event would cover two laps of 42 sections, with a five-hour time limit.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

1980 • Classic Competition

Rob Shepherd (Honda): When the temperamental Honda was running well and Rob was on form he was world class, as demonstrated with his win earlier in the year at the Cleveland.

John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki): It was inconsistency that had stopped Reynolds from being higher up the championship table. The win at the Colmore proved he had the winning credentials. At the Mitchell he deserved a better result from all his efforts.

Nigel Birkett (Montesa): It’s ironic just how comfortable Nigel looks on the Montesa Cota 349, as he never liked it to the point that he changed it! From the outside it looked like the Cota 349 he was contracted to ride, but on further investigation it was a clone of the Cota 348 which he liked so much better.

OLD GUARD

Mike Skinner (Montesa): Mike was another rider who was improving all the time. In February his world had fallen apart after his Montesa, along with Mick Andrews’ Majesty Yamaha, had been stolen at the Belgian world round. Thanks to the generosity of his sponsor, Jim Sandiford, another machine was provided to carry on riding for the season.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

As we had seen in the earlier rounds of the 1980 ACU British Trials Championship, the contest for the wins would be very close with ten riders all capable of winning if they had a good day’s riding. It was very much a case of the old guard of Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa), Martin Lampkin (Bultaco) and Rob Shepherd (Honda) who held the top three championship positions, fighting off the young riders for the maximum haul of championship points. John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki) had proved his point at the Colmore that they were not unbeatable. Still, it was the consistency of this old guard who had all previously won ACU British Championship titles between them: Malcolm Rathmell, 1972, 1974–1976 and 1979 holding the most wins; Martin Lampkin, winning in 1973 and 1978; and Rob Shepherd taking the first four-stroke win in 1977 since Sammy Miller on the Ariel in 1964.

These three had pulled themselves clear at the head of the points table, with Shepherd holding a 22-point advantage over Reynolds. The ACU British Trials Championship points were awarded to the top ten positions, making the fight for them very intense.

Mick Andrews (Majesty Yamaha): ‘Magical’ could still show the younger riders a thing or two, as he demonstrated at the Mitchell.

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Classic Competition • 1980

Chris Sutton (Montesa): After many years on the Beamish Suzuki ‘Sooty’ was now scoring points in his first year on the Montesa.

Peter Cartwright (Bultaco): Looking good here in the Mitchell he was rewarded with the win at the national Victory Trial, which was a just reward for his efforts.

ON FORM

After the first four rounds of the 1980 FIM World Trials Championship, it’s quite ironic that it was Rathmell who was the best British rider in fourth position.

He was carrying that form into the ‘home’ championship as he had one other thing on his mind. He wanted to repeat his double-header of the win at the Scottish Six Days Trial, the first for Montesa, and the British title in 1979.

Under the eyes of the ACU Steward, Les Davis, and the official starter, John Roberts, he started out on the Montesa with one thing on his mind after losing out on the tie-break decider for the victory at the previous championship round the Lomax Trial – and that was winning!

The Clerk of the Course for the solo riders was Dave Lewis assisted by Terry Price, and they had made some changes to the previous year’s events to make the hazards more ‘nagdery’ and tight in order to extract more marks from the entry.

With the sun shining down, Rathmell started confidently and, step by step as the day progressed, he managed to open up an early lead using single marks to his advantage to avoid the five-mark penalties for a stop in the tighter hazards.

The advantage over second-placed Martin Lampkin at the close of the day was a clear 11 marks and, as we have seen in the past, when a top rider is on top form he is very hard to beat and in South Wales that man was Rathmell.

Alan Wright (Bultaco): A fourth place in the Colmore had helped to put Alan into the top ten in the championship standings.

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Chris Clarke (Montesa): Another good rider on his day, here he turns on the style on the Welsh rocks.

Dave Thorpe (Bultaco): With recurring back problems Dave is standing very upright and awkward in this picture.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

1980 • Classic Competition

Chris Myers (Bultaco): After his 7th place in the Irish FIM world round earlier in the year he was carrying his good form into the British Championship.

A CLOSE SECOND

Tony Calvert (Ossa): Standing very tall on the machine, he was the best of the Ossa riders.

As in any competition, every mark counts, and the battle for second position was a very close affair. No one knew at the time, as it was to be revealed over the next couple of weeks, but this would be Martin Lampkin’s last British Championship outing on a Bultaco. He loved his 370cc model for its torque and brute power, and he used it to his advantage up the steep Welsh hillside to hold off Nigel Birkett by a single mark. At last, Birkett had shown the form he knew was still there, and he was happy to be back in the top three championship positions once again. In truth, Nigel had not taken to the new Montesa Cota 349 and his championship year had, by his admission, it had not gone to plan; it reflected in his results.

The Cota 349 was a longer machine than the Montesa Cota 348, and this did not suit his style of riding.

After the elation of his surprise win in February at round two of the FIM World Trials Championship in Great Britain, Mick Andrews was soon brought down to earth the following week when he had his machine stolen the night before round three in Belgium! Majesty man John E Shirt had interrupted his busy production schedule to build Andrews a new machine. He was very happy with fourth place, proving his competitiveness in front of the younger riders.

Bernie Schreiber (BultacoUSA): According to our records Bernie became the first foreign rider to score ACU British Championship points.

He moved to the UK during his trials career to help him acclimatise to the cold, wet, muddy conditions. He is seen here in the FIM Irish world round earlier in the year.

Kiyoteru Hattori (Honda-JPN): Riding the 200cc Seeley Honda the Japanese rider scored his first points at the Mitchell. He would continue to ride many British national trials during 1980 and was a very popular rider.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Steve Wilson (SWM): Having made the successful move from Bultaco, he was finding good form on the SWM.

23

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1980 • Classic Competition

Peter Oakley (Majesty Yamaha): Knowing he would be in contention for the up-to-200cc cup at the Scottish Six Days Trial he was out on the Majesty Yamaha 175cc at the Mitchell.

Norman Shepherd (Ossa): This would be one of Norman’s last rides on the green Ossa before he moved to the new yellow ‘Gripper’ model.

JAPAN’S RISING SON

When Honda had arrived on the trials scene in 1974 with trials legend Sammy Miller, the rebirth of the four-stroke trials machine materialised, much to the delight of many proud traditional motorcycle enthusiasts. His developmental skills were rewarded in 1977 when Rob Shepherd, riding the Honda, won the ACU British Trials Championship as Miller moved to Italian manufacturer SWM in 1978. Shepherd continued with Honda, and in 1980 a new name appeared for the first time in the championship points at the Mitchel Trial. It was Japan’s Kiyoteru Hattori who finished in fifth position riding the Seeley Honda, just one place in front of Shepherd who was on the HRC-supplied 360 four-stroke. Now based in the UK and ranked fourth in the Japanese National Championship in 1979, he was delighted with his result.

Mike Skinner remained a consistent points scorer as did Peter Cartwright. In ninth position, Chris Myers was much happier with his Bultaco’s performance after the engine problems at the Lomax Trial. Rounding off the top ten was a disappointed John Reynolds who we had not seen the best of in South Wales on the Beamish Suzuki as he took the last championship point.

With the Scottish Six Days Trial, the next big event in the calendar the British riders were about to get a big wake-up call as it witnessed the first foreign winner with Finland’s Yrjo Vesterinen.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Nick Jefferies (Montesa): Having taken on a Montesa dealership, he had moved from Bultaco to Montesa and scored championship points at the Lomax Trial.

25

Classic Competition • 1980

Glen Scholey (Bultaco): Another very young rider who was starting to make an impact in the adult trials world.

John Lampkin (Bultaco): This was only the second adult British Championship round for the son of the eldest Lampkin brother Arthur.

1980 MITCHELL TRIAL RESULTS

ROUND 5 ACU BRITISH TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS: 1: Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa) 21; 2: Martin Lampkin (Bultaco) 32; 3: Nigel Birkett (Montesa) 33; 4: Mick Andrews (Majesty Yamaha) 35; 5: Kiyoteru Hattori (Honda-JPN) 39; 6: Rob Shepherd (Honda) 41; 7: Mike Skinner (Montesa) 43; 8: Peter Cartwright (Bultaco) 43; 9: Chris Myers (Bultaco) 46; 10: John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki) 47. (The placings above scored ACU British Championship Points). 11: Chris Griffin (Ossa) 49; 12: Chris Clarke (Montesa) 53; 13: Nick Jefferies (Montesa) 54; 14: Chris Sutton (Montesa) 55; 15: Tony Calvert (Ossa) 56; 16: Colin Boniface (Bultaco) 57; 17: Norman Shepherd (Ossa) 57; 18: Rob Edwards (Ossa) 61; 19: Dave Thorpe (Bultaco) 61; 20: Peter Oakley (Majesty Yamaha) 68; 21: Ady Morrison (Fantic) 74; 22: John Metcalfe (Miller) 75; 23: Mike Leddy (Beamish Suzuki) 76; 24: Tim Ashton (Ossa) 82; 25: Glen Scholey (Bultaco) 86.

John Metcalfe (Miller): Both Sammy Miller and rider John Metcalfe worked hard on the Miller project, but it was not to be. Sammy was badly let down with support and the lack of spares from Hiro in Italy, making for some very testing times.

Jim Sandiford (Montesa): Riding very much for the pleasure of riding a trials motorcycle, he loved nothing better than competing amongst the many Montesa riders he sponsored while he was the official UK importer.

1980 ACU BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS FIVE ROUNDS COMPLETED

RESULTS: 1: Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa) 59; 2: Martin Lampkin (Bultaco) 54; 3: Rob Shepherd (Honda) 51; 4: John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki) 29; 5: Nigel Birkett (Montesa) 20; 6: Mike Skinner (Montesa) 19; 7: Mick Andrews (Majesty Yamaha) 19; 8: Peter Cartwright (Bultaco) 12; 9: Chris Sutton (Montesa) 10; 10: Alan Wright (Bultaco) 8; 11: Chris Clarke (Montesa) 8; 12: Dave Thorpe (Bultaco) 6; 13: Chris Myers (Bultaco) 6; 14: Tony Calvert (Ossa) 6; 15: Kiyoteru Hattori (Honda-JPN) 6; 16: Steve Wilson (SWM) 5; 17: Bernie Schreiber (Bultaco-USA) 5; 18: Norman Shepherd (Ossa) 3; 19: Nick Jefferies (Montesa) 1.

MACHINES: Bultaco: 7; Montesa: 6; Honda: 2; Ossa: 2; Beamish Suzuki: 1; Majesty Yamaha: 1.

SIDECAR: IT’S GASKELL’S MITCHELL

The Mitchell Trial would not be a championship round for the sidecars, but in 1980 they were a huge part of the trials scene. A smaller than usual entry of 18 sidecars competed over a separate course which had been laid out by Bob Williams. As part of the Beamish Suzuki trials team, John Gaskell with Harry Wood in the sidecar took the win, with Dick Ramplee and Alan Bungay second.

RESULTS: 1: John Gaskell/Harry Wood (Beamish Suzuki) 30; 2: Dick Ramplee /Alan Bungay (Suzuki) 35; 3: Joe and Paul Howells (Suzuki) 43.

26

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Machine • AJS 37A-T

The brochure front cover for the new AJS trials model 37A-T.

AJS 37A-T

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE AJS, the brand purchased by Associated Motor Cycles in 1931, were known for their long-stroke single-cylinder trials machines, which partly dominated the competition scene in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s. It culminated in Gordon Jackson’s historic Scottish Six Days win on one solitary mark in 1961, achieved with a factory-prepared 16C with a special short-stroke motor. Associated Motor Cycles (AMC), the group which also owned the Matchless, James and Francis Barnett brands, hit financial difficulties around this time and the writing was firmly on the wall; all these brands had a competition history. The root of the problem lay with the directors at AMC having taken offence at a critical report published on a road test on one of their machines. Their response was to refuse permission for the motorcycle press to test their machines, and their advertising campaigns in the weekly papers ceased, so not surprisingly they lost valuable sales, year on year, through lack of exposure to the buying public. It was a case of cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.

Words: John Moffat (Trials Guru), Tony Davis, Norman Edgar, Colin Dommett and John Pye Pictures: Malcolm Carling, Alan Vines and Brian Holder

28

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

AJS 37A-T • Machine

A very young Mick Andrews had formed part of the AJS trials team in 1964, riding one the big four-strokes in the SSDT.

AJS TWO-STROKES

Two-strokes had been gaining popularity and in late 1964, Sammy Miller announced that he was moving to Bultaco from Ariel, which in itself was to become a game-changer for the trials scene and heralded the Spanish invasion

by Bultaco, followed by Montesa in 1967 and eventually Ossa. Two-strokes were here to stay.

The AJS brand, along with the others in AMC, had been taken over in 1964 by Manganese Bronze Holdings which had already bought Villiers Engineering. After the AMC Plumstead factory closed in 1966, with the creation of Norton Villiers, this involved restructuring of the group and AJS moved to Wolverhampton.

The plan was to continue in the competition market, producing only off-road AJS machines at a new purpose-built factory at Andover.

Still, due to planning permission delays, the new factory only became operational in mid1969. They signed Chris Horsfield, Malcolm Davis, Andy Roberton, Sweden’s Bengt-Arne Bonn and Scotsman Jim Aird to field a strong motocross contingent. They also had an eye on the trials machine market, which was buoyant, and they had access to the Villiers two-stroke motors, being under the same group of companies. Malcolm Davis was not only an excellent motocross rider but also an exceptionally talented trials rider.

Also in the AJS team for the 1964 SSDT: Gordon Blakeway.

previously been developed by Cotton in their Cobra motocross model and subsequently installed in the factory prototype AJS motocross model first raced by Andy Roberton.

Further developed, it carried Malcolm Davis to victory in the 1968 British MX Championship, and from this, the Y4 ‘Stormer’ was born. The 250cc Y4, launched in 1969, was followed by big-bore Starmakers, the Y5 Stormer at 370cc in 1970 and eventually the ‘410’ Stormer of 410cc

in 1972. Inchley was a former BSA employee who moved to work at Ariel on two-stroke development followed by a move to work with Dr Joe Ehrlich at EMC, joining AMC in 1963.

Reynolds Tubes constructed the new road race frame, constructed by ace welder Ken Sprayson.

An AJS was entered for the 1967 TT but, while in fifth position, his bike was filled with neat petrol instead of two-stroke mixture; Inchley was forced to retire with a seized engine.

STARMAKER ENGINE

The Villiers ‘Starmaker’ engine was to be the basis for the new motocross machine. It was developed from Peter Inchley’s 1966 Villiers ‘Starmaker Special’ TT racing machine which came home third in that year’s Lightweight race. Inchley’s prototype for AJS was based on a Bultaco racing chassis. The Starmaker had Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

The four-stroke trend was going out of fashion at the 1965 SSDT, but Gordon McLaughlan remained loyal to the AJS.

29

Machine • AJS 37A-T

When Sammy Miller moved from the big 500cc four-stroke Ariel to the lighter and more nimble two-stroke Bultaco and won the 1965 SSDT it was very much a case of ‘Game Over’ for the once-mighty and powerful manufacturing of trials motorcycles in Great Britain.

Yes, this is a very young Rob Edwards riding an AJS in the 1965 SSDT.

COTTON INVOLVEMENT

A year later AJS commissioned Cottons of Gloucester to make a frame for trials use loosely based on the existing Cotton trials frame but incorporating the large-diameter top tube of the Y4 motocross design.

For trials, they had access to the proven ‘37A’ trials motor. Cotton had used the trials version of the Starmaker as early as 1964 – more on this later.

John Pye was After-Sales Manager at Malcolm Davis Motorcycles in Gloucester: “I remember Malcolm Davis, ‘Fluff’ Brown of AJS and me travelling to a local farm to test a new AJS trials machine that the factory was experimenting with. It was basically a Cotton, but the main difference was the top tube, which made its way into production by late 1968”.

Tony Davis, Malcolm’s brother, was an accomplished trials and motocross rider who had ridden the factory BSA B40 and for Greeves, and he was enlisted to ride an AJS supplied by the factory. Issued with a standard 37A-T registered TFH22G, it came equipped with Metal Profile telescopic front forks, British Hub Company ‘MotoLoy’ six-inch alloy full-width hubs and, of course, the 37A 246cc Villiers engine with an

Derek Edgar realised the potential of the lighter two-stroke machines coming into the UK from Spain, and rode this Bultaco in the 1966 SSDT.

30

iron cylinder barrel. Surprisingly, AJS did not incorporate an aluminium barrel and cylinder head combination as Greeves had done many years previously, and the now well established Bultaco Sherpa and upcoming Montesa Cota both used all-aluminium engines.

Tony Davis: “I rode exactly what the AJS factory supplied us with in 1968. AJS boss Peter Inchley was a stickler for using only factory products, no other components were allowed”.

John Pye: “I remember when Malcolm was in the shop when Peter Inchley arrived, and Malcolm hid from him for quite a while. It transpired that Malcolm had bolted a set of Spanish Betor front forks on his motocross AJS. Inchley took one look at the AJS and asked what all this was about. Malcolm explained that he found the Betors helped the front end, but Inchley would have none of it; he insisted that the AJS forks were re-fitted immediately!”

Heralded as the ‘AJS 37A-T – Britain’s latest trials model’ Malcolm Davis was to be credited with the development work for the new machine, as highlighted in the company sales literature, and it was launched in time for the 1969 trials season.

Malcolm Davis on the production two-stroke AJS at the Mitchell Trial in Wales in September 1968.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Machine • AJS 37A-T

Tony Davis on the AJS in the 1968 Bemrose Trial.

He would spend many happy times at Buxton in Derbyshire with his good friend Norman Eyre.

Malcolm Davis also on the AJS in the 1968 Bemrose Trial, riding up a very wet ‘Cheeks Hill’ near Buxton in Derbyshire.

THE EDINBURGH CONNECTION

Up in Scotland, the appointed agents for AJS were Edgar Brothers in Leith Walk, Edinburgh. They were already sponsoring Jimmy McRae for the 1969 Scottish Championship season on the new Y4 Stormer. McRae later went on to become five times British Open Car Rally Champion and, of course, the father of 1995 World Rally Champion, Colin McRae MBE. Dealer principal, Mr Norman Edgar, was keen to sell as many AJS models as he could, and both his sons were accomplished trials riders. His son, Norman FW Edgar, was at that time twice Scottish Trials Champion and had entered the 1969 ISDT to be supplied with a works-prepared AJS Y4 ISDT machine for the event at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

He had been campaigning a 37A-T in Scottish and national trials. It was registered NFS21G in the October 1968 and competed with it into the spring of 1969. He and his younger brother Derek J Edgar were also experienced SSDT competitors, and both had entered for the event to be held in early May.

SCOTTISH SIX DAYS 1969

AJS were keen to push their new trials model 37A-T in the Scottish Six Days and to field a team of three riders comprising the Edgars plus one other competitor. Mr Edgar noticed that Yorkshireman, Ray Sayer, had entered on his four-stroke 500cc Triumph, so an approach was made to enlist him on a 37A-T to make up the three-man team. Sayer saw the sense of riding a lighter two-stroke and agreed.

AJS was to pay for the three-team member entries, but as for the machines themselves, that was a different part of the story. Edgar contacted the AJS factory and enquired what would be available for the SSDT to be informed that, due to workload, they could not guarantee to build three suitable machines in time. Could the Edgar Brothers build bikes from parts supplied? Mr Edgar agreed to the offer, and boxes of components were dispatched to Edinburgh from Wolverhampton, and Derek Edgar assembled three AJS 37AT machines in the dealership’s workshop.

Norman FW Edgar: “It is over 50 years since I rode the AJS in the Scottish, so apologies if I can’t remember full details or the sequence of events, but somehow we decided to change 32

At the 1968 British Experts Trial Tony looks very professional on the AJS.

“Could the Edgar Brothers build bikes from parts supplied? Mr Edgar agreed to the offer, and boxes of components were dispatched to Edinburgh from Wolverhampton, and Derek Edgar assembled three AJS 37A-T machines in the dealership’s workshop.” the specification. We obtained new front forks and front and rear wheel hubs from the scrambles Y4, which not only looked much more purposeful but were also lighter than the standard full-width items fitted to the production models. We also fitted longer than standard aluminium side panels to protect the air cleaner. As was always the case, if we could get something to work better, we did it.

“When I rode the ISDT later that year, I changed the motocross piston for a trials component before the event, and the machine’s power delivery was much more suited to the ISDT. Derek built the three SSDT machines, and these were registered in Edinburgh and tested just immediately prior to the Scottish”.

Looking quite agricultural: the 37A 246cc Villiers engine with an iron cylinder barrel fastened in the steel tubular frame.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

AJS 37A-T • Machine

Tony in action at the 1968 British Experts Trial.

He won some centre trials on the AJS and the Western Centre Championship was his once again.

Norman Edgar on the AJS in action at the 1968 British Experts Trial.

SSDT ‘TEAM AJS’

The Edgar-built 37A-Ts were registered OWS 11, 12 and 13G. Derek rode 11G, Norman was given 13G, and Ray Sayer rode 12G. Another AJS, OWS14G, seemed to be registered at the same time, but this was probably a standard 37A-T machine for a customer. One of the three SSDT machines ended up with the Kingston & District club in Surrey as a loan motorcycle for those wishing to sample the sport, the machine having been traded into Comerfords at Thames Ditton and failing to sell through the shop around 1974.

Looking at close-ups of Derek Edgar’s SSDT AJS, which he used again in 1970, it would appear that he had fitted a German-made ‘Bing’ carburettor for his attempt at the Scottish for the second time on the 37A-T. Derek was an innovator and had also ridden Puch machines in trials and the ISDT for a period before building the AJS. He later went to work for Puch in Austria as a development rider and technician.

Norman continued: “I do remember Ray Sayer mentioned something about the steering lock being restricted and, indeed, he took a hacksaw to the front end at Gorgie Market during the SSDT weigh-in on the Sunday. Both Derek and I did not really notice anything untoward, so we just rode the machines as they were built”.

At a wheelbase of 51.5 inches, by utilising the Y4 forks and alloy yokes with the leading axle, it would stretch the AJS 37A-T to around 52.5 inches – more in keeping with the Bultaco Sherpa – and assisting stability on straightforward rocky sections, which was a feature of the Scottish Six Days. Fortunately, the Y4-style fork sliders were not ‘handed’ and had sufficient lugs to accommodate front mudguard fixtures. And so AJS fielded a team in the SSDT, the first time since 1965. Too late to be printed in the official programme, and Ray Sayer shown as riding the 500cc Triumph, it was not to be a ‘dream team’ situation as Sayer dropped out of the trial on the Wednesday with gear selector problems. His machine was repaired post trial and retained by the Edgars and used again in 1970, this time piloted by American Bob Ewing who flew over from California. Derek Edgar took up employment with Ewing after he left Puch and before he went to work for Montesa USA.

Many trials riders wanted to remain loyal to the British motorcycle manufacturers, including Ian Blackmore seen here in the 1968 Southern Experts on his production AJS.

front hub on his AJS, SFH96G, in the Cotswold Cup Trial in 1969 but retained the standard Metal Profile forks with the axle at the bottom of the slider. It would also appear that he went against Peter Inchley’s instructions by fitting a Greeves aluminium barrel and cylinder head to his 37A-T! Even though the Edgars changed the geometry of the 37A-T, they were not in a position to change the most obvious component, the cylinder barrel; this was still the iron unit.

Greeves achieved it, why not the AJS factory? After all, the owners of AJS, Norton Villiers, intimated in 1969 to Greeves that supply of Villiers power units would cease, which inevitably forced the Thundersley firm to source engines from Puch in Austria.

MODIFICATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS

Having informed Tony Davis that the Edgar brothers and Sayer had ridden heavily modified 37A-Ts in the Scottish, he commented: “I find this surprising in that Peter Inchley was such a stickler for us riding what we were given, and yet the Edgars changed the machine materially. Perhapsbecause they used AJS components and the fact the factory could not supply prepared machines meant it was acceptable”.

Photographic evidence confirms that Malcolm Davis used the Y4 alloy conical Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

It may have looked the business, but in truth the AJS was way behind the new trials machines from Bultaco, Montesa and Ossa.

33

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35

Machine • AJS 37A-T

A very stylish Norman Edgar at the 1969 SSDT.

PRIVATEERS Apart from the fact the he was a very good trials rider Malcom Davis also won the 1968 and 1970 250cc British Motocross Championships for AJS.

WHY THE 37A?

AJS had all the development work done on the all-alloy Starmaker unit.

Could they not have further developed the trials version of that power plant?

Bultaco, for example, developed their Sherpa trials and the Pursang motocross motor from older applications, the motocross having different porting and gear clusters, but benefitted from common components and were all-alloy construction. As already mentioned, the Starmaker trials version had been used in the factory Cottons with one issued to their supported rider, Colin Dommett, in 1964.

Dommett: “I didn’t like the Starmaker engine. For example, the gear ratios were too wide, and it was eventually sent back to Villiers as I think they owned the engines. A 37A engine replaced it. They tried all sorts of exhausts, but everything they did just made things worse, not better. I think they even tried a 37A crank in a Starmaker and that was a slight improvement”.

Cottons also fielded a team in that year’s SSDT fitted with Starmaker motors, comprising Arthur and Alan Lampkin and Blackie Holden.All three riders finished with special first-class awards. The belief was that the 37A, although using appreciably heavier components, was the better engine for trials use even though it looked old-fashioned compared to the compact-looking Bultaco and Montesa power plants.

As well as being second best Edinburgh & District club member, receiving the Henderson Challenge Trophy at the SSDT, Norman Edgar Jnr won the 1969 Scottish Trials Championship outright on his 37A-T, making him a three-time champion in the process.

Under the watchful eyes of his fellow competitors: Derek Edgar at the 1969 SSDT.

36

It’s all well and good having factory machines entered for significant events like the SSDT and British Experts; you still need sales to private owners to make it financially worthwhile. There were six private entrants on AJS 37A-T who rode the 1969 SSDT: M.K. Fulcher, North London; R.E Chapman, North East London; Jack Young, Edinburgh; Roger Davy entered by Comerfords (WPD4G); and Chris Watts of the CSMA (TAE411G) who also had fitted a Y4 front hub on his 37A-T. There was one other AJS entered that year, but it was a 350cc four-stroke 16C ridden

by JL Smith from Edinburgh, a nephew of Scottish born AJS director Bill Smith.

American Bob Ewing had entered in 1969 but was classed as a nonstarter so the best guess is that he would have ridden OWS14G, either that or Jack Young could have obtained it just prior to the event. The following year there were four AJS-mounted riders in the 1970 SSDT: Eddie Henderson from Bangor and member of the Knock MCC Ireland; Bob Ewing, who flew over from California to ride the OWS12G supplied by the Edgar Brothers; Jack Young, from Edinburgh; and Derek Edgar, back on OWS11G. But most of the entry by now consisted of Bultaco and Montesa with a couple of Ossas.

When Ray Sayer had the gearbox break on his AJS at the 1969 SSDT it was game over for the three-man team, which included the Edgar brothers.

Civil Services Motoring Association team rider Chris Watts rode this AJS in the 1969 SSDT.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

AJS 37A-T • Machine

TONY DAVIS TALKS AJS

Tony: “It was Malcolm who talked me into riding the AJS trials machine; ‘fly the flag’ he said. So I agreed to ride it for a year. We spent many hours practising in the quarry and woods up the hill near the Air Balloon. We both found it ‘gutless’ from plonking in a section, and the carburetion was unreliable.

“After many hours’ tuning, we got the carburetion more exact. Malcolm did a lot of work on the engine and got it to respond better and rev out more, which suited his style of riding. Peter Inchley wanted my machine to stay as standard as possible. It handled reasonably well; it was better in mud than on rocks but was never going to be a world-beater, especially against the Spanish armada. I won some centre trials, and the Western Centre Championship was mine once again. The AJS was far too late to win any National trials, and the ‘powers that be’ knew that. Now the Y4 Stormer motocross model was exceptionally good, as Malcolm proved”.

Studying old national trials results, it is evident that Tony Davis’s overall performance improved when he switched to Bultaco in 1970. It was by then a tried and tested product, which had benefited from not only Sammy Miller’s input but that of riders across the globe who enjoyed support from the Barcelona manufacturer. Bultaco and Montesa were taking trials very seriously, and with Mick Andrews developing the Ossa they too were ready to capitalise on the success of their prototype.

SALES

Sales of the production AJS 37A-T were disappointing; trials riders are consistent followers of fashion, and the AJS just did not

inspire them. The tank was quite bulbous and was the bright orange – the factory called it ‘Bushfire Red’ – fibreglass unit taken from the Y4 model. The frame was superbly finished in metallic silver but had an unusual plate which joined the large-diameter top tube to the footrest tubes, and it had a full cradle, single down-tube frame.

Chain adjustment was not made at the back wheel but at the swinging arm pivot, with an eccentric cam arrangement that was an attempt to keep the chain line as straight as possible. It was used on the AJS motocross model and also used by Rickman on their motocross Metisse frames, but it was unusual for a trials machine.

Carburetion was taken care of with a Villiers S.25. It is the type of carburettor that would become popular with the Pre-65 brigade in the 1990s. Again this was a departure from the trend. It was to use the modern AMAL MK1 concentric that was fitted by both Bultaco and Montesa at this time, the instrument made in Spain under licence from the UK company.

Remember, the AJS was competing for sales against these two Spanish brands which had already gained a foothold in the UK, North American and European trials markets.

The engine, as stated, was the iron-barrelled Villiers 37A model which had a bore of 66mm and stroke of 72mm, giving a displacement of 246.33cc and a claimed 12.4 BHP at 5,000 RPM. Compression ratio was quoted as 7.9:1.

In comparison, the 1964 trials version of the Starmaker pumped out 15 BHP at 5,000 RPM. Utilising a 58-tooth rear wheel sprocket, the 37A-T gave a 29:1 bottom gear, with a fourspeed gearbox giving ratios as 3.6; 2.4; 1.56 and 1.00.

The wheels were built using Dunlop chrome steel rims whereas the Spanish competition

Sponsored by Hubbard Motorcycles, Allen Collier rode the AJS with some success.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Entered by Comerford’s on his AJS at the 1969 SSDT: Roger Davy.

were using Akront alloy components at this time. Mudguards were plain polished aluminium alloy, with front mudguard bracketry fabricated from sheet alloy and an alloy chainguard, standard fit for trials machines of the era. A heel/toe gear lever, chrome-plated ‘Peco’ style exhaust and Girling rear dampers finished the package off. List price in 1969 was £228 and ten shillings, in kit form thus avoiding Purchase Tax.

Sales of the AJS were very slow but a few loyal customers still competed on them in the UK nationals. It handled reasonably well but it was better in mud than on the rocks.

It was never going to be a world beater, especially against the Spanish armada.

37

Machine • AJS 37A-T

AJS TODAY

Information on the 37A-T is very scarce on the internet, purely because of the short production run and the low numbers produced and sold. However, the model is featured in Gregor Grant’s AJS – The History of a Great Motorcycle published in 1969, revised in 1974

by Patrick Stevens Ltd, Cambridge (ISBN 0 85059 186 4). It gives a potted history of the marque from its creation and covers the Y4 Stormer and 37A-T models. It does lack, however, any detail of the trials model’s development, undertaken by the late Malcolm Davis, his brother Tony and of course the Edgar brothers in Scotland. Perhaps this article has covered the gaps left by a fellow Scot; his book is well written and researched as he was a professional journalist. Perhaps he did not have the connections to thoroughly research the trials model or probably, in 1969, thought it wasn’t significant enough to save information on the new model for posterity! You simply cannot cram too much information into a book, though!

On a personal note, when I was ten years old, I started saving up my hard-earned pocket money with the intention to buy an AJS 37A-T. It was probably an idea cultured by my environment because my Father had ridden an AJS four-stroke twice in the SSDT and then owned an ex-factory Matchless. I saved up the princely sum of £1:10s:6d by the September of 1969. However, my Father bought me a Dalesman Puch in the October, so the money went towards buying fuel!

Malcolm Davis on the modified AJS in the 1969 Colmore Cup Trial. It featured many Greeves parts along with a smaller, lower, aluminium fuel tank. It also had an aluminium cylinder head and barrel fitted, which looked, once again, very much like Greeves parts!

I was quite taken by the AJS which looked different from the selection of trials machines on sale, but it was not to be.

I did come across OWS11G in November 2019 when I enquired with the owner, who lived in Carlisle, if it was for sale. The owner, realising its history, wanted several thousand pounds as it stood. I found this over-priced; having been laid up for many years, it was in poor condition. To its credit, it did look quite complete and still had the Y4 front end, but the cost to restore it would have been excessive. There was no question that it was Derek Edgar’s 1969/70 SSDT machine. I turned the deal down at the time as I felt it was a pointless exercise for me, but deep down, I wanted to own the motorcycle, given its SSDT and Edinburgh history. I knew Derek Edgar very well and had a lot of respect for him. I have also subsequently heard that restored versions are being advertised more than that figure, due primarily to their rarity!

With the BSA trials competition effort now defunct, and Greeves already losing its way, I

Bob Ewing, who flew over from California for the 1970 SSDT. Derek Edgar took up employment with Ewing after he left Puch and before he went to work for Montesa USA.

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Derek Edgar in full control at the 1970 SSDT on his way to a Special First Class award in 29th position.

often wondered, had AJS invested more, and even recruited Sammy Miller and letting him have the trials version of the Starmaker engine, a clean sheet of paper and a free hand, what could it have achieved with the trials project? Even as late as 1970, when Sam was just about over his riding peak, we can only speculate how the brand could have fared.

The question must be asked, did the AJS management really take the trials market seriously, as they did not seem to act on the improvements made by the Edgar and the Davis brothers? The Spanish manufacturers were always taking serious note of what their supported riders told them and would make improvements for the next edition of their production models. Production ceased, and the model was discontinued in 1970.

Today, the AJS name and famous monogram lives on with the company ‘AJS Motorcycles Ltd’, run by Nick Brown and his family. Nick is the son of ‘Fluff’ (real name David) Brown; they manufacture homologated 125cc road-going scooters and motorcycles primarily aimed at the learner rider market. They operate from Upper Clatford, Andover, and still carry spare parts for the old Stormer motocross models, but not the ill-fated 37A-T. Maybe the AJS 37A-T was, as Tony Davis said, ‘far too late’?

Despite a good dealer network, the writing was on the wall for AJS in the early ’70s.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

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Revisited • Gori

Trading under CMI (Competition Motorcycles Italy) Jim Jones imported first Gori and then SWM to the UK. Left to right, Jim is with his son and the Welsh enduro rider Colin Jones – no relation – and Frank Melling, who kindly supplied this picture.

I

REVISITED

GREEN GORI OF FLORENCE There is a trend that follows many readers of Classic Trial Magazine, and that is an interest in machines you had when you were younger. I have previously written about the Gori trials machines but, as years progress in the world of this magazine title, we take a moment to revisit as more information and pictures are uncovered.

Words: John Hulme, Mike Rapley and David Hooke Pictures: Alan Vines, Barry Robinson, Yoomee Archive, Eric Kitchen, Colin Bullock, Andy Gregory, Jeff Lawton and Mike Rapley

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rode a Gori for a short period from April to September 1982, for the Jones family who were the UK importers. They owned CMI – Competition Motorcycles Italy – based at Byley, Cheshire, in an old Second World War hangar where Spitfire wings had been manufactured during the conflict.

They also imported SWM motorcycles.

Originally formed as a company in Florence in 1927 by a very proud Italian, Giancarlo Gori built his own machines featuring other manufacturers’ engines with the Gori badge positioned on the fuel tank. The brand would appear with some success in road racing before a more serious move into motorcycle production, starting in 1968.

Having been founded by his father, it was a second-generation Giancarlo Gori who manufactured machines from 1968 to 1983 at his official manufacturing company Officina Meccanica Gori, Piazza di San Salvi, Firenze, Italy. The prelude to the manufacturing of his own motorcycles in the mid-60s had led Giancarlo Gori to be associated with another Italian motorcycle enthusiast, and modified machines were marketed as Gori-Bimm. He was also involved with various other scooter companies including Vespa and their various racing activities, including speed record attempts, with some success.

MOTO GORI TO GORI

The company was generally better known for off-road models, with the early Moto Gori machines aimed at the lucrative Italian moped and small engine sports motorcycle market.

A move to the increasingly popular off-road market started in the early ‘70s, witnessing a range of 50cc to 125cc motocross and enduro machines. These would be produced alongside mini moto, sports roadsters and racing models.

In 1974 and 1975 the road-racing model, Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Gori • Revisited

‘Green Gori of Florence’ also produced some fearsome looking motocross machines in the early ’80s.

powered by a tuned Austrian 123.6cc Sachs engine, with a bore and stroke of 54mm x 54mm, using a six-speed gearbox and ridden by Guido Valli, won the Italian Hill-Climb championship for two successive years. Off the back of this success, a replica of the winning machine was produced for sale. The Moto Gori’ Sport Valli Replica’ was created. It used the same Sachs engine but this time with cast aluminium wheels, twin front disc brakes and a matching racing fairing. With a claimed top speed of close on 100mph, it certainly caught the public’s imagination. It was offered for sale to private collectors between 1975 and 1976. It was in 1978 that Signor Sironi from SWM motorcycles, who was also an Italian manufacturer, took the opportunity to take an equal share in the Moto Gori company.

ONE WORD GORI

Gori in the ’70s was generally better known as a company for producing small-engined off-road models. The Sachs engine usually powered them.

Seen here at the 1980 FIM World Trial Championship round in Ireland is David Hooke. He was employed by CMI to promote the new Gori off-road motorcycle range in the UK. He would compete in the first four opening rounds of the world trials championship in 1980 on the Gori.

With the equal share now in place between Giancarlo Gori and Signor Sironi, the decision was made to make the change of the company name from Moto Gori to just one word: Gori. The two manufacturers would work from two separate companies in Italy as the move and focus changed to the off-road market. They would still produce road- and commuter-based motorcycles but the project for the off-road market would see a new generation of machines open the door for the Italian manufacturers to make a statement in this growing sector.

As a joint venture, the new partnership would benefit from the sharing of research and manufacturing information as the move was made to a different engine supplier. It was common knowledge that the Austrian Sachs engines were problematic in all areas, including manufacturing and reliability. They produced strong power and were fast but often broke down!

PISTON PORT TO REED-VALVE

A decision was reached to move to another Austrian engine producer named Rotax for a new range of trials, motocross and enduro machines.

The rotary disc air-cooled engines had a reputation for reliability that was second to none.

With the move from Sachs to Rotax engines also came the change of Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Making its first public appearance is the Gori trials model at the Milan Show in Italy in late November 1979.

engine configuration to the innovative reed-valve induction system.

The majority of two-stroke single-cylinder engines use the application of piston porting for the inlet, with the carburettor fixed to the cylinder barrel. It highlighted a problem. This system, at low revs or small throttle openings often found in the trials world, is that when you are ‘feeling’ for rear-wheel grip, the chances are that as the piston drops from top dead centre, the two-stroke fuel mixture in the crankcases will want to be pumped out back through the carburettor. The Rotax engine features a spinning disc valve on one end of the crankshaft for inlet timing.

Using the reed-valve system has its benefits as it provides one-way flow and can prevent this ‘Pump Back’ to some extent, but at the expense of interrupting flow through the port.

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Revisited • Gori French motorcycle brand BPS also cloned the SWM machines.

Taken in March 1980, this is the very first Gori trials model imported to the UK, ridden by David Hooke.

Later BPS models appeared very much like the Gori, just with BPS on the fuel tank.

CRANKCASE INDUCTION

It requires the carburettor to be located directly on the crankcases as opposed to the rear of the cylinder barrel. Here the fuel to the engine will then pass through the crankcase reedvalve system before entering the combustion chamber inside the cylinder barrel. Experienced engineers were quick to explain that for trials use the system for induction would need developing to become effective.

By the time the new Gori trials machine was presented to the public at the Milan show in the December of 1979, SWM already had a lot of experience with the Rotax engines. They had already introduced them to the enduro range and had continued to achieve good success and wanted to carry this into the world of trials.

They had presented their own red-and-white trials model at the Milan show in late 1977 which had proved very popular.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

As SWM introduced a new yellow-model range in 1980, Giancarlo Gori and Signor Sironi used the previous year’s models – the red and white ones – to introduce the new Gori trials model.

The Gori name was an asset to their company portfolio, and it kept the name alive.

It was during this period that they decided they could increase machine sales by re42

At the 1980 International Dirt Bike Show at Bristol Jim Jones presented the new Gori trials model.

branding their older SWM range of machines, selling them as the new green Gori model. By doing this could open up another market to increase machine sales, aimed at another type of customer who wanted something different.

In reality, it was the SWM machine, but the tubular steel frame now had a black finish and swinging-arm complemented with a green steel fuel tank and matching plastics in the same colour. It was a case of ‘copy and paste’ as in every area of the machine you could find the SWM signature, but this new Gori model would be named the MT 325.

In the early promotional images and on the Milan Show model, the SWM name was removed from the engine’s side cases, but it soon reappeared on the production models.

ROTAX POWER

After suspension problems on the early SWM models where the Marzocchi front fork bottoms cracked, updated stronger ones were fitted. At the rear, it was once again Marzocchi, along with other quality components, installed throughout the machine with the only reference to Gori appearing on the fuel tank.

The heart of the new Gori trials model was the 250cc Rotax engine that SWM had decided to develop for trials use. It was similar to the enduro engine which used a 72mm bore, so

Working for the weekly Trials and Motocross News, Mike Rapley was the first journalist to test the new Gori. It was Mike who gave me the idea, with more information available, to re-visit the Gori story.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

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Revisited • Gori Welsh Trials Champion Mike Leddy was one of the very early converts contracted to ride the new Gori. This picture is from the 1980 Northern Experts in Cumbria.

In the full Gori GVS branded clothing, David Hooke at the 1981 Scottish Six Days Trial.

they over-bored it to 76mm which pushed the engine size up to 276.6cc.

After initial tests, and to gain more torque from the engine, a heavy flywheel would be fitted. Strong power was on hand, but it still had the capacity to carburate cleanly, with the attributes of its now smooth power band an added bonus. A very robust but easy-to-use six-speed gearbox offered a wide range of gear ratios, while the points ignition system provided a reliable spark at low engine revolutions. After trying many variations of carburettor size during engine development on the reed-valve motor the 24 mm Ǿ Dellorto carburettor was the one to use.

WELL RECEIVED

After finishing in 50th position at the 1981 Scottish Six Days Trial: Mike Leddy parted from the Gori team shortly after.

It is the 80s, and a young Nige Pearson from the Trials UK dealership in action on his new 200cc Gori.

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The first machine arrived in early 1980 and the well-known Cheshire Centre based national rider, David Hooke, gave the machine its UK competition debut at the 1980 St David’s National Trial in Wales.

Hooke had plenty of experience of the other machines on the market, having ridden them at all levels of competition. It soon acquired a reputation as a strong and reliable machine and, priced at a very competitive £1,200, started to sell well.

Based on the good customer feedback, and

the interest in sales, CMI, based at Byley in Cheshire, hired David Hooke as its new team manager to promote the new Gori trials model.

Jim Jones and Hooke decided that the best way to market the new machine was to aim it at good centres and national riders as opposed to a highly paid superstar.

Talking to fellow riders at the club, centre and national level is a proven way of selling trials motorcycles. Between them, Jones and Hooke started to look at putting a team of riders together located across the country to promote the brand and ride for a new trials team in 1981, in which would attract trade support.

Team Gori In late 1980, a new team was put together including Welsh Champion Mike Leddy, who would leave the Beamish Suzuki team so that he could cover the Welsh regions. In the South, Brian Higgins would also swop Japanese machinery for Italian. In the East Midlands, John Walker would represent the Gori team while the team Manager, David Hooke, and Ian Wetherill would do selected nationals and British Championship rounds.

UK importers also offered a dealer support package to selected riders, who would receive a machine at a reduced price.

As 1981 opened up the response on the sales

In late 1980 Brian Higgins left the Beamish Suzuki team and moved to Gori to ride in both trials and enduro.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Gori • Revisited Tony Calvert joined the Gori team in 1982. To update his machine the bottom frame rails were replaced with a sturdy aluminium sump guard. To improve the handling he replaced the Betor fork yolks with Marzocchi ones but retained the Betor forks.

Yet again Gori cloned an SWM model to produce this tidy-looking schoolboy model shown at the 1981 International Dirt Bike Show at Bristol.

front was very encouraging, with the riders taking regular local centre wins which resulted in sales from the machine seeing a steady increase. Both Hooke and Wetherill scored good results in the nationals and the ACU British Championship to show that the machine was a good performer at all levels of riding.

SCHOOLBOY MARKET

During the 1981 season a 125cc, 200cc and 250cc machine would be added to the range to attract riders into the rapidly growing schoolboy market. Small changes were made on the machines, apart from the cylinder capacity size, including minor cosmetic changes but also they would all receive better front and rear suspension. The front forks would change from the Italian Marzocchi to the Spanish Betor ones, with Corte Cosse rear shock absorbers fitted on the rear. Team manager, David Hooke, quoted sales of around 30 machines a month which, on reflection, was excellent; the green machines became a very popular fixture on the trials scene.

A dealer network was established around the UK, to include 20 outlets. There was a small price increase to the following: MT 125cc, £1,195.00; MT 200cc and 250cc, £1,245.00; and for the MT 325, £1,295.00. The only real

problem was the lack of development, which would see Mike Leddy part with the team midseason.

NEW LOOK

1982 would start with a new-look team and the addition to the range of a new little 100cc schoolboy model. Again it was a direct clone of the same SWM model. Jim Jones and his company, CMI, also became the official UK importer for SWM as an addition to his Gori range of machines.

The new Gori team was launched and would still feature David Hooke as the team manager, who continued to ride. He also looked after the three-man team who would compete in the Scottish Six Days and Scott Trials, and all UK national and ACU British Championship events. Mike Skinner and Tony Calvert would join Ian Wetherill.

At first, Skinner praised the machine, but after lacklustre results, he parted company with the team in late March. The machine he returned was a wreck, as he had tried to make modifications to the frame without much success and without first clearing the work with his sponsor, Jim Jones!

At the time, John Hulme (Classic Trial Magazine editor and author of this feature)

At the 1982 Scottish Six Days Trial Tonty Calvert finishes preparation on his Gori. On closer inspection it was very much a green-coloured SWM!

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Competing in the ACU British Championship and many nationals, Ian Wetherill had some very good rides on the Gori with support from CMI.

Seen here with his Gori at the 1982 SSDT, Brian Higgins is still very much involved with the sport working with the ACU on the Trial GB British Championship.

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Revisited • Gori

At the 1982 SSDT Tony Calvert finished in 26th position, the highest for a Gori rider.

was riding the Majesty and was looking for a change. He contacted Jim Jones.

John Hulme: “In the April, just before the SSDT, Jim supplied the ex-Skinner machine in a terrible state and gave me all the brand new parts to return it to a standard production model, which included a new frame. This was when I realised I had made a big mistake! The frame supplied was red and basically a 1978 SWM frame and swinging arm. I had it sprayed black but when it was rebuilt it was like a time warp, going back to 1978 and my first SWM; the trouble was this was 1982. It also had the Betor front forks and steering yokes which pushed out the front end and made it feel like an American ‘Chopper’. I rode the machine at the SSDT and, in fairness to Jim Jones, his support with parts and clothing was second to none. I rode the Gori through the summer period before I made a ‘Cap in Hand’ phone call to the Majesty Yamaha builder and my previous sponsor John E Shirt, who quickly supplied me with a new machine”.

Ian Wetherill takes a strong dab on the Callart Falls hazards in the 1982 SSDT on his way to 38th position.

to keep the machine competitive and bring them into line with fashion. Calvert also added more updated SWM parts such as the plastic fuel tank. Some dealers made their own frame conversions to the remaining stock, much the same as Calvert’s. The buying public were led to believe there would soon be a new machine available featuring a new engine similar to the one used in the new JCM Trials project, but it never appeared. When the Italian SWM Company finally closed its doors at the end of 1983, it would also be the end of the Gori dream.

David Hooke in forceful action at the 1982 SSDT. His job, as well as enjoying himself, was to also to keep an eye on the eventual winner riding number 222, Bernie Schreiber who was on the similar engined SWM.

ENDURO, TRAIL AND MOTOCROSS

As the new trials model was launched in 1979, by spring 1980, the Gori factory also had a range of enduro, trail and motocross machines in production and was concentrating practically all its efforts on off-road machinery. As was the case with the trials models they were very SWM influenced, but once again with a very competitive price point, it gave the buying public an alternative option with some using the Sachs and Hiro engines as opposed to the Rotax one.

Yes, it is you! Classic Trial Magazine editor John Hulme on the finishers’ ramp with his Gori at the 1982 SSDT.

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

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IT’S OVER

Even though both Tony Calvert and Ian Wetherill scored some excellent results, the Gori production was looking to be coming to an end.

Calvert, along with many other private Gori riders, had chopped the bottom frame tubes off to be replaced with an aluminium sump guard

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C

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

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Classic Rider • J. Ray Sayer

J. RAY SAYER

TROPHIES, TIGERS, LEOPARDS AND JAGUARS

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Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

J. Ray Sayer • Classic Rider

1964 – Allan Jefferies Trial: In 1960 Ray won the trial outright, beating the legendary Sammy Miller (Ariel) by 13 marks.

For many months Richmond trials enthusiast, Barry Watson, nagged me mercilessly to pen an article on an unassuming gentleman who is well known in the Yorkshire trials world. And so, eventually, I thought it only right and proper to oblige. As I had met the gentleman on quite a few occasions, it would not be a straightforward task. I knew full well that this is a very modest, reserved individual who would much rather talk about his contemporaries than himself! My first approach to write about his motorcycle riding career was met with the reply: “I wish you wouldn’t”. Perseverance is a useful attribute though, and finally, I wore him down.

This feature spotlights the most respected of trials riders, who has lived in the village of Bellerby, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire most of his life, even though he avoids the spotlight like the plague!

Words: John Moffat (Trials Guru), Bill Wilkinson and J.R. Sayer Photos: Brian Holder, Alan Vines, Malcolm Carling and Jean Claude Comeat (Claudio)

1965 – SSDT: Ray’s factory Triumph Cub UNX51, registered in May 1956, had been on loan from Henry Vale during the 1957 SSDT to 17-year-old Mike Hailwood, who entered the Scottish as his first big competitive event.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

1965 – SSDT: On the Tiger Cub which Ray rode for nine years.

S

on of a farmer, John Raymond ‘Ray’ Sayer was born in November 1935 and was to make a name for himself on the national trials scene in a riding career that spanned three decades, starting in the early 1950s.

The eldest of three children, Ray Sayer effectively put the Richmond area on the trials map by his name regularly featuring in the motorcycle press, which followed his career in the sport of trials. Pick up an old copy of the ‘Motor Cycle’ yearbook and the name J.R. Sayer appears regularly.

1965 – Scott Trial: His best performance in the Scott was third place in 1964, but he did win the 200cc cup and Best Yorkshireman awards on quite a few occasions.

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Classic Rider • J. Ray Sayer Sayer, who was a national trials winner and ISDT team rider, rode factory Triumph motorcycles for most of his riding career which spanned almost three decades. His many Triumph contemporaries of the era included John Giles, Roy Peplow, Gordon Blakeway, Gordon Farley, Ken Heanes, and Malcolm Rathmell. Giles, Heanes and Peplow were selected many times for the Great Britain International Six Days Trial World Trophy team, an event which Sayer would eventually compete in three times on Meriden-prepared factory Triumphs. Although his name will be forever linked with the Coventry marque, Ray Sayer was not always Triumph mounted, as we shall learn later.

1965 – Scott Trial: Ray performs in front of a packed gallery.

A ‘LOCAL’ YORKSHIRE EVENT

1965 – British Experts Trial: It’s 100% concentration on the Triumph.

1966 – SSDT: Yes, factory supported riders fitted their own tyres!

1966 – SSDT: Seen here at the SSDT in 1966, Ray also rode in the ISDT in the World Trophy competition with East Germany taking top honours. Ray gained his third gold medal in the GB Trophy team consisting of Ken Heanes, Roy Peplow, Sammy Miller, John Giles and Arthur Lampkin who came second.

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Sayer’s first trial was the Scott, on a 197cc DOT which had been purchased from a local businessman called Sylvester ‘Syl’ Palmer from nearby Leyburn. Palmer had ridden the machine in previous Scott Trials, he had also been the event clerk of the course and received support from Francis Barnett.

“My first Scott Trial was on 14th November 1953. It was also my first ever trial, and there was a very good reason for that. At the time, I worked for my father, who was a farmer and a Methodist. In those days Sundays were for attending church and definitely not for having fun on a motorcycle! As the Scott was run on a Saturday, this allowed me to enter and compete in my very first event. Needless to say, I did not do too well on the DOT. The course back then consisted of two laps plus one leg out and one back in, and I had to retire after the first lap. The following year was very wet and what had been a stream became a large torrent at ‘Dicky Edge’.

This wasn’t a problem for the more experienced or factory-supported riders, but I tried to jump it, and ended up in the middle with a drowned machine!”

1966 – SSDT: Holding the line on Laggan Locks.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

J. Ray Sayer • Classic Rider

1967 – SSDT: On his way to ninth position and the best Triumph rider, under the watchful eye of fellow team rider Roy Peplow.

1967 – SSDT: Dressed in his Sunday best.

TROPHY TIME

“The 1955 Scott was a much better year for me, having bought a 1951 500cc Triumph Trophy by trading the DOT in to Duplex in Darlington; this became my all-time favourite motorcycle.

I was fortunate to secure some valuable help with spare parts from Allan Jefferies, and this time I had a really good ride. The Trophy was eventually converted to swinging-arm rear suspension using a McCandless conversion, which increased the ground clearance to nine inches and steepened the steering. It became a beautifully handling machine after that.

“My best performance in the Scott was third place in 1964, but I did win the 200cc cup and Best Yorkshireman awards on quite a few occasions. In the years that I rode the Scott when it was held in the November, it was invariably cold and wet; conditions which really suited me. There was always the possibility of some snow though, and the trial was eventually brought forward to the October. I also had support from Pete’ Eddy’ Edmondson on the Puch engined Dalesman, which was a 125cc sixspeeder and was a quick machine on the rough.

I rode the Dalesman in the 1970 Scott Trial.”

1967 – Red Rose Trial: It was not a good day for Ray, but this is how a factory prepared Triumph Tiger Cub looked.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Sayer achieved his first Scott Trial finisher’s certificate in 1955 and amassed a total of 13 coveted ‘Scott Spoons’ from 1956 onwards which effectively placed him in the higher echelons of this famous event’s records.

WEDDING BELLS AND TRIALS – 1960

Ray married Carole in 1960 when they advanced their betrothal plans due to her father being a high-ranking officer in the Royal Air Force with an imminent posting to Hong Kong.

They tied the knot a couple of years earlier than originally intended. Carole always refers to her husband as ‘Raymond’, and they will soon celebrate their Diamond wedding anniversary.

She attended most of the events Ray took part in and has a good knowledge of the sport and the riders of the era. The Sayers had two children, daughter Alexandra and son Gavin.

Alexandra has three children, making the Sayers grandparents.

1960 was a good year for Ray: Carole accompanied him to most events, he was Best Up To 250cc class winner in the Alan Trophy Trial and was a member of the Club Team

1968 – Mitchell Trial: An early outing on the Triumph Twin in Wales.

1968 – SSDT: For this event, the British Suzuki concessionaires had entered Ray with his close friend Blackie Holden along with Peter Gaunt as a manufacturer’s team on the 128cc machines.

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Classic Rider • J. Ray Sayer

1968 – SSDT: Ray’s little Suzuki did not stand up to the rigours of the ‘Scottish’ that year and he was forced to retire from the event.

Award for Ripon & District with Tom Ellis and Stan Holmes. A fortnight later he was second in the lightweight class and part of the Triumph manufacturers’ team award winners with Artie Ratcliffe and John Giles in the Belgian Lamborelle Trial. The Travers Trial held in the April saw Ray again as part of the Triumph manufacturers’ team award winners, with Artie Ratcliffe and Roy Peplow, and club team for Bradford & District MCC with Stan Holmes and Ratcliffe. In the May Sayer collected a Special First Class and the Jimmy Beck Trophy at the SSDT. Still, the icing on the cake came in the July that year when Ray won the Allan Jefferies Trial outright, beating the legendary Sammy Miller (Ariel) by 13 marks. He rounded off the year by coming fifth in the British Experts on the 199cc Triumph Cub. Sayer was the 1964 winner of the national Victory Trial, and he attended the Victory Trial reunion dinner organised by Tony Davis at the Manor Hotel, Meriden in 2007 as the Guest of Honour.

SAYER TALKS TRIUMPH

“I rode as a works-supported rider for Triumphs for 11 years, and my final few seasons I was

1969 – SSDT: It was not plain sailing as the gearchange pawl broke on his AJS on the Wednesday resulting in a mid-week DNF.

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1969 – SSDT: He was back on another two-stroke in Scotland, this time it was the Villiers powered 37A-T model AJS.

as a privateer on a 250cc Ossa Mick Andrews Replica purchased from Norman Crooks at Northallerton for £270.00 in 1972, which I rode in that year’s Scott Trial and again in 1973. I had gone back to riding on my 500cc Triumph in 1969, registered GNR923, which I built myself and is now owned by Bill Hutchinson.

The registration number is now on his motor car, and the Triumph has been restored to a high standard. I had first used this registration number on a 1961 Triumph Trophy, and I transferred the registration number to my self-built Triumph. All my factory-supplied Triumphs are still in circulation, which is nice to know. I enjoyed and appreciated the support that I received from Triumph, especially Henry Vale, for having confidence in me.”

SCOTLAND

The Scottish Six Days has always been an important event for British trials riders, and Ray Sayer was also keen to ride in Scotland.

“In 1957, I rode in my first Scottish; it was all new to me, and we covered almost 1,000 miles during the week! It would be my most enjoyable as I had a really good time and a clean sheet on

the Tuesday, losing no marks at all.”

This sparkling performance caught the attention of Triumph’s Henry Vale, the Competition Manager.

“Mr Vale offered me a factory machine after the SSDT, the Tiger Cub, which I rode for nine years. It was registered UNX51, and I believe it is still owned by the Crosswaite family. This was a competitive machine and one on which I rode in all the national events. But I have to say the Trophy would remain my favourite Triumph; I had a soft spot for that machine.”

Ray’s factory Triumph Cub UNX51, registered in May 1956, had been on loan from Henry Vale during the 1957 SSDT to 17-year-old Mike Hailwood. He went on to become a highly successful GP road racer and multiple TT winner, entering the Scottish as his first big competitive event. Factory Triumphs were regularly stripped down, checked, refurbished and rebuilt by the competition department at Meriden, under the watchful eye of Henry Vale, so this necessitated transport between Darlington and Coventry by train in the Guard’s van.

“I would get a phone call from either Dick

1970 – Victory Trial: Just look at what a physically big machine the triumph Twin is, as Ray fights for control.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

J. Ray Sayer • Classic Rider Fiddler or Henry Vale at Triumph to say my machine was ready. Carole and I would go over to Darlington railway station to collect it in time for the next trial. I also rode the Highland Two-Day Trial at Inverness in Scotland a few times, and when I was on my own Triumph the secretary of the Highland club, Bob Mackenzie, was so impressed with my machine that he kept pestering me to sell it to him!”

History records that Ray was third in the 1963 ‘Scottish’ on the 199cc Tiger Cub, beaten only by Mick Andrews (AJS) and the eventual winner, Arthur Lampkin (BSA). It was to be Ray’s best performance in the annual Highland event.

For the 1968 Scottish the British Suzuki concessionaires had entered Ray with his close friend Blackie Holden along with Peter Gaunt as a manufacturer’s team on the 128cc machines with Gaunt taking home the 150cc capacity class award. However, Ray’s little Suzuki did not stand up to the rigours of the SSDT that year, and he was forced to retire from the event. The machine went back to Suzuki GB headquarters in the Midlands transported

by Dennis Jones, who later worked for the company. The following year Ray was back on another two-stroke at the Scottish; this time it was the Villiers powered 37A-T model AJS for 1969. The AJS was courtesy of Norman Edgar of Edgar Brothers in Edinburgh who had close ties with the AJS factory, being Scottish agents for the marque.

“Mr Edgar contacted me after learning that I had entered on my 500cc Triumph and suggested that I might have an easier time riding the lighter two-stroke AJS. They seemed keen to push the AJS trials machine. However, the AJS did not have sufficient steering lock and to be honest; I was really more a four-stroke man, so, unfortunately, it didn’t suit me too well at all.”

These particular AJS machines were not built at the Andover factory, but their components were transported to Edinburgh in early 1969 in crates, and they were assembled in the workshop of Edgar Brothers under the supervision of Frank Edgar and further developed by Norman’s son, Derek Edgar. The batch of the 246cc bikes were consecutively registered OWS 11–14G, Edinburgh registration marks which are dated to May 1969, just prior to the SSDT. Derek rode OWS11G with his elder brother Norman Edgar Jnr on OWS13G. Ray was issued with OWS12G for the SSDT, riding under number 93. Having been supplied with an early model production 37A-T machine (NFS21G), Norman Edgar Jnr decided to improve the batch of Edgar-built machines for the SSDT by fitting the motocross AJS Y4 ‘Stormer’ front forks and alloy conical hub, and also the conical alloy rear hub from the motocross machine. These were lighter than the British Hub Company components that the production models had been fitted with. It was a radical departure from both the production 37A-T AJS and those supplied by Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

1970 – SSDT: Now fitted with the Ariel Leader front hub and Triumph 21 telescopic front forks, Roy guides the Triumph to finish in 58th position.

1970 – SSDT: The clockwork noise from a Triumph Twin in capable hands is music to the ears of any motorcycle enthusiast.

1970 – Scott Trial: With support from Pete ‘Eddy’ Edmondson on the Puch engined Dalesman pushing on through ‘Washfold’ early in the day.

Peter Inchley to the other supported riders, Malcolm and Tony Davis. Ray now thinks the fork assembly from the motocross model could have explained the restricted steering lock on his machine.

It was not plain sailing for Sayer; however, the gearchange pawl broke on his AJS on the

1970 – Scott Trial: With a 125cc engine the ‘Micro Machine’ Dalesman with its six-speed gearbox went really well on the rough. Here Ray drops down into Bridge End.

Wednesday resulting in a mid-week DNF for 1969. So it was back to the old love, his own 500cc Triumph Twin for the 1970 Scottish, finishing in 58th position.

His last Scottish was in 1972 on the outdated GNR923, which had been treated to a more modern set of MP telescopic front forks and

1972 – SSDT: It was the end of an era as Ray rode a Triumph in the ‘Scottish’ for the last time. The machine was by now fitted with MP telescopic front forks and a Rickman-style aluminium front wheel hub.

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Classic Rider • J. Ray Sayer

1973 – Scott Trial: Riding as a privateer on a 250cc Ossa Mick Andrews Replica, bought from Norman Crooks at Northallerton for £270.00 in 1972.

1973 – Scott Trial: Wearing the horse riding hat inspired by another famous Yorkshire man, Harvey Smith.

1973 – Scott Trial: Capturing the true spirit of this legendary motorcycle competition, Ray stops for a quick ‘Top-Up’ of some liquid refreshment.

Only those who know their British trials history can spot Ray Sayer. And only those who know their history would have the thought, “…now there is a man who can ride a trials motorcycle.”

honours. Ray gained his third gold medal, having attained 600.04 bonus points. All the ex-factory ISDT Triumphs Ray rode are now in the custodianship of Triumph super-enthusiast Dick Shepherd in Essex.

BILL WILKINSON ON SAYER

Ray formed a partnership with his younger brother Ken to operate ‘Sayers Coaches’ in their hometown of Bellerby.

an alloy conical front wheel. Unfortunately, history records that he did not finish his SSDT swansong, but he switched to the Ossa later that year and continued to ride trials for a few more seasons, which included two more Scott Trials.

LEOPARDS

In a plan to make some more money, Ray sat and passed his PSV driver test and started earning more income by driving a bus in Wensleydale for a local coach hirer. When the coach operator decided to retire, Ray formed a partnership with his younger brother Ken to operate ‘Sayers Coaches’ in their hometown of Bellerby, utilising a variety of purpose-built coaches. It included popular models such as a Leyland Leopard and Bedford YMT, retaining local school runs as part of their business.

ISDT

Sayer rode in three International Six Days Trials. His first was the 1964 event at Erfurt, East Germany on the factory 490cc Triumph ‘Tiger 100’ (106CWD) and of course the movie actor, Steve McQueen, also rode a Triumph at the same event. Being English spoken, McQueen socialised with the British teamsters attending that year.

“Steve McQueen was quite taken by our factory Triumphs as they were much lighter and sported alloy fuel tanks, whereas McQueen’s was a fairly standard road model conversion, much of it undertaken by Reg May at Comerfords. I think he would have finished on gold medal standard if he had not spent so much time playing to the gallery, he 60

was a typical show-off! He would keep pulling wheelies all over the place and crashed out quite a few times. He was very much an American style of rider, but quite a pleasant individual and very enthusiastic.”

Ray gained the first of his three gold medals at the Erfurt ISDT with 609 awarded points and ninth place in the 500cc class. The following year he rode the works 350cc ‘Tiger 90’ model Triumph (105CWD) in the Isle of Man in the GB Silver Vase team, having a clean sheet and gaining another gold medal as part of the best British manufacturers’ team – Triumph (Great Britain) with Ken Heanes and Roy Peplow. It was a difficult event held in atrocious conditions, and Ray’s experience of harsh North Yorkshire going gave him a distinct advantage, securing a gold – one of the few awarded that year. A truly gritty performance.

In 1966 the event took place in Sweden at Villingsberg, managed by Jack Stocker. Ray was back on a factory 350cc Triumph, this time the ‘Tiger 90’ registered HUE252D in the GB Trophy team consisting of Ken Heanes, Roy Peplow, Sammy Miller and John Giles all on Triumphs, and Arthur Lampkin on a TriBSA. The team lost no marks and were credited with second place in the World Trophy competition, with East Germany taking top

“Ray Sayer must be one of Britain’s most underrated trials riders. I travelled many thousands of miles with him over the years when we rode in trials and the ISDT, so I got to know him very well. He never pushed himself forward; he is not that type of bloke, but make no mistake; he was a determined competitor and earned the respect of all the top riders of his era.

“My nickname for him is ‘Swing’ – not a lot of people know that! Ray was a very capable rider and was capable of much more. When you look back at results of national and international trials, you do not have to look far to see the name of J.R. Sayer. He won the Victory, the Allan Jefferies nationals at a time when any 20 of the top riders of the day could have won. His rivals were all very capable riders in their day.

Ray was simply brilliant. I think we hooked up around 1961 and we hit it off really well. I have a lot of time for him.”

JAGUARS

Having owned a succession of Austin and Wolseley motor vehicles, Ray had a soft spot for Jaguar cars. He claims never to have bought a brand new one, but he has owned several XJ series ‘Big Cats’ over the years. Ray Sayer never lost his interest in trials and has been a regular spectator at many Richmond Motor Club events over the years, his dark blue Jaguar XJ6 being noticeable parked at Reeth for the Three Day and at Richmond for the Scott. For the uninitiated, the slim, Barbour jacketed, silver-haired gentleman quietly watching the performances of riders usually goes un-noticed.

Only those who know their British trials history can spot Ray Sayer in a crowd. And only those who know their history would have the thought, “…now there is a man who can ride a trials motorcycle!”

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Drayton Frames are manufacturers of pre 65 trials frames for BSA Bantam, BSA C15/B40, Villiers 37/32A 8E/9E, Triumph Tiger Cub, Triumph Twins and Ducati 250/350 singles. We can also carry out any fabrication and machining work and supply forks, yokes, mud guards, cables, wheels etc. We can supply a frame, frame kit or a complete rolling chassis.

Contact Rob or Pete on the above numbers for any enquiries.

International • 1980 FIM WTC

VIVA MONTESA

CONSISTENT KARLSON

It’s only when you reflect on the 1980 FIM World Trials Championship that you begin to realise that, regarding machinery and world round winners, it was one of the strangest that has ever happened. In the majority of sports consistency, it is only once all the points are totalled up at the end of a season determines the winner. Throw in the change of machines and the disruption this creates, affecting some of the very top riders, and you will find that American Bernie Schreiber, winning 50% of the 12 rounds, still did not give him the glory of taking the ultimate goal of the FIM World title. The winner of the title in 1980 was Sweden’s Ulf Karlson; it was his consistency that gave him the title with only one world round win to his name.

Words: John Hulme, Alan Wright, Charly Demathieu and Mike Rapley Pictures: Eric Kitchen, Alan Vines, Toon van de Vliet, Mauri/Fontsere Collection and the Giulio Mauri Copyright, Schreiber Family and Francesco Rappini

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1980 FIM WTC • International

Bernie Schreiber (Italjet-USA): He won the last four world rounds on the new Italian machine, but two non-pointsscoring rides after his win at round six in France on the Bultaco denied him any chance of championship glory.

I

Yrjo Vesterinen (Montesa-FIN): An inconsistent season with only one win and a non-scoring ride in Switzerland left ‘Vesty’ in third position in the championship.

t was at the Hurst Cup, in Ireland Ulf Karlson won, and it was the confidence from this that made him more determined to make 1980 his year. He only had two disappointing rides, in France and the Czech Republic. Still, it was a case of ‘Viva Montesa’ as he gave the Spanish motorcycle manufacturer its very first FIM motorcycle world title. They had fielded a very strong team in the world championship, and that financial commitment had been well rewarded especially during challenging Spanish economic times.

Two non-points-scoring rides from Schreiber, who had moved from Bultaco after his win at round six in France to Italjet, denied him any chance of championship glory again after he had taken the world title from Vesterinen in 1979. He won the last four world rounds as the new Italian machine started to prove its competitiveness at the cutting edge of sport as it was developed with one eye on the 1980 title, but it proved not to be.

Eddy Lejeune (Honda-BEL): With a good world championship season behind him the young Belgian rider was rewarded with a Japanese factory contract to remain with the four-stroke Honda in 1981.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

1980 CHAMPIONSHIP – PART TWO

Here we take a brief look at the final six rounds of the 1980 championship, where Belgium’s new young sensation on the four-stroke Honda, Eddy Lejeune, started to emerge as a future world championship contender with a third win in Switzerland. FIM World Trials Champion from 1976 to 1978 Yrjo Vesterinen took his only win in the1980 series in Germany before the new combination of Schreiber on the Italjet dominated the remaining four rounds as it concluded in the Czech Republic.

Martin Lampkin (SWM-GBR): Still showing that he had the ability to mix it up with the younger riders the move from Bultaco had unsettled him, but fifth in the championship was still a good result in the circumstances.

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International • 1980 FIM WTC

Manuel Soler (Bultaco/Montesa-ESP): Another rider affected by a change of machine after Bultaco, he was linked with Italjet before settling at Montesa.

ROUND 7: 23rd JUNE 1980 FULLY, SWITZERLAND. ENTRY: 48

In a high-scoring event contested over three laps of 20 sections, the man on form was young Eddy Lejeune. With the four-stroke Honda running well he took a clear win from Ulf Karlson, who remained calm to finish second in front of a new top-three finisher from France, Christian Desnoyers on the SWM. The win from Lejeune moved him up into second in the championship as many of the top riders, including Schreiber and Vesterinen, ran into problems with the time limit, which left them out of the results. It had been a long day in hot conditions. Still, the English riders did themselves proud, with all three of them finishing in the top ten: Shepherd, fourth;

Rathmell, fifth; and Lampkin sixth — all gaining much-needed championship points and finishing the event within a single mark of each other.

The debut of the new Italjet had been a difficult one, with machine problems during the event hampering Schreiber, and the question was could he bounce back one week later in Germany.

RESULTS: 1: Eddy Lejeune (Honda-BEL) 83; 2: Ulf Karlson (Montesa-SWE) 100; 3: Christian Desnoyers (SWM-FRA) 104; 4: Rob Shepherd (Honda-GBR) 114; 5: Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa-GBR) 115; 6: Martin Lampkin (SWM-GBR) 115; 7: Danio Galeazzi (SWM-ITA) 119; 8: Gilles Burgat (SWM-FRA) 119; 9: Jaime Subira (Fantic-ESP) 128; 10: Jo Wallman (Bultaco-AUT) 131; 11: Jean Marie Lejeune (Montesa-BEL) 142; 12: Adrien Prato (Montesa-FRA) 153; 13: Kiyoteru Hattori (Honda-JPN) 160; 14: Alberto Juvanteny (Ossa-ESP) 161; 15: Pierre Ramonda (Montesa-FRA) 162.

Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa-GBR): Missing the middle of the season with a knee injury kept him down the points table.

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Antonio Gorgot (Ossa-ESP): This new star on the yellow Ossa had his season interrupted by his national military service in Spain.

ROUND 8: 30th JUNE 1980 KIEFIRSFELDEN, GERMANY. ENTRY: 64

All the eyes of the trials world were on the new combination of Schreiber and the Italjet. Still, it was the three-time FIM World Trials Champion Yrjo Vesterinen who took a very welcome victory in Germany. Once again, on an overcast day, the event was contested over three laps of 20 sections. Many sections based in and around a fast-flowing river and its rocky banks.

‘Vesty’ started well, which is always a good indication of a man on form, and opened up a lead that would never be challenged to take Montesa’s second and last world round win in the 1980 series. In second position was a delighted Martin Lampkin, scoring his best result to date since his move in April from Bultaco to SWM. A good strong ride from the championship leader Karlson kept him at the head of the points table as Austria’s Joe Wallman had his best world round ride to date finishing in fourth, just one mark off the podium. After another troubled day on the Italjet Schreiber once again failed to score any world championship points.

RESULTS: 1: Yrjo Vesterinen (Montesa-FIN) 59; 2: Martin Lampkin (SWMGBR) 76; 3: Ulf Karlson (Montesa-SWE) 84; 4: Jo Wallman (Bultaco-AUT) 85; 5: Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa-GBR) 90; 6: Eddy Lejeune (Honda-BEL) 95; 7: Gilles Burgat (SWM-FRA) 96; 8: Antonio Gorgot (Ossa-ESP) 99; 9: Charles Coutard (SWM-FRA) 102; 10: Jaime Subira (Fantic-ESP) 104; 11: Bernie Schreiber (Italjet-USA) 106; 12: Pedro Olle (Montesa-ESP) 109; 13: Rob Shepherd (Honda-GBR) 112; 14: Christian Desnoyers (SWM-FRA) 114; 15: Kiyoteru Hattori (Honda-JPN) 122.

Rob Shepherd (Honda-GBR): As the season closed so did the Honda contract for ‘Shep’ in the world championship; the ride in the Czech Republic would be his last one on the red four-stroke.

Jaime Subira (Fantic-ESP): For many, his rides on the tough demanding hazards on the 156cc engined Fantic opened the eyes as to where the Italian manufacturer was heading in the world championship.

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International • 1980 FIM WTC

Mick Andrews (Majesty Yamaha-GBR): Taking 15 points from his win in Great Britain at the start of the season with a ride that is still talked about, ‘Magical’ proved his natural ability.

Gilles Burgat (SWM-FRA): Without a doubt, one of the best young riders for the future.

ROUND 9: 13th JULY 1980 CHIESA VALMALENCO, ITALY: ENTRY: 61

ROUND 10: 24th AUGUST 1980 TERVAKOVSKI, FINLAND. ENTRY: 46

RESULTS: 1: Bernie Schreiber (Italjet-USA) 98; 2: Martin Lampkin (SWM-GBR) 105; 3: Ulf Karlson (Montesa-SWE) 106; 4: Yrjo Vesterinen (Montesa-FIN) 122; 5: Rob Shepherd (Honda-GBR) 130; 6: Jaime Subira (Fantic-ESP) 135; 7: Eddy Lejeune (Honda-BEL) 137; 8: Fulvio Adamoli (Montesa-ITA) 137; 9: Danio Galeazzi (SWM-ITA) 140; 10: Charles Coutard (SWM-FRA) 143; 11: Alberto Juvanteny (Ossa-ESP) 143; 12: Jo Wallman (Bultaco-AUT) 144; 13: Felix Krahnstover (Montesa-GER) 145; 14: Gilles Burgat (SWM-FRA) 147; 15: Lino Rodolfa Della (Bultaco-ITA) 155.

RESULTS: 1: Bernie Schreiber (Italjet-USA) 31; 2: Ulf Karlson (Montesa-SWE) 34; 3: Manuel Soler (Montesa-ESP) 36; 4: Alberto Juvanteny (Ossa-ESP) 36; 5: Antonio Gorgot (Ossa-ESP) 47; 6: Yrjo Vesterinen (Montesa-FIN) 53; 7: Eddy Lejeune (Honda-BEL) 53; 8: Ettore Baldini (Bultaco/Italjet-ITA) 61; 9: Danio Galeazzi (SWM-ITA) 62; 10: Timo Ryysy (Bultaco-FIN) 64; 11: Charles Coutard (SWM-FRA) 65; 12: Rob Shepherd (Honda-GBR) 67; 13: Fred Michaud (Ossa-FRA) 70; 14: Martin Lampkin (SWM-GBR) 72; 15: Raimo Erakare (Bultaco-FIN) 74.

An American rider in Italy, competing on an Italian machine and taking victory, was a huge boost to the new Italjet trials team. And for a very patriotic home crowd, Great Britain’s Martin Lampkin made it an Italian one-two for the very first time in an FIM World Championship trial with a very solid second position on the SWM. Super-consistent Karlson took the final step on the podium once again to protect his championship lead with another good points haul.

With Malcolm Rathmell missing from world championship action with a damaged knee in a plaster cast it was left to Rob Shepherd to keep the union jack flying with a fifth position, just behind Vesterinen. With five Italian machines in the top ten positions, the tide of domination by Spanish machines was beginning to turn at an alarming rate. Ossa had their new yellow model in the hands of both Antonio Gorgot and Alberto Juvanteny, but with the factory doors closed at Bultaco and production problems at Montesa, it was not looking good for the future of this oncedominant force in the trials world. It was the first time since the world championship started that Bultaco did not have a machine in the top 10!

Charles Coutard (SWM/Montesa-FRA): Yet another rider to make a machine move during the season, he moved from the Italian SWM and arrived in Finland with the Montesa.

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You can never keep a good man down, and with the new Italjet improving at every round as it was developed in the world championship Bernie Schreiber took yet another win in front of Ulf Karlson. Having made the move from the ailing Bultaco brand to Montesa, Spain’s Manuel Soler certainly showed he had got the hang of the unfamiliar machine with an excellent third place, just two marks behind series leader Karlson.

Giving the Spanish motorcycle manufacturer Ossa something to be happy about was most welcome as Alberto Juvanteny finished in fourth just in front of the ever-improving Antonio Gorgot. Riding on home ground, Yrjo Vesterinen finished sixth and dropped to third in the overall championship.

With Rathmell still recovering from his knee injury it was not a good day for either Rob Shepherd, who finished 12th, or Martin Lampkin, who came home also out of the points in 14th position. With the top four in the championship breaking away from the rest, Karlson still held the advantage over Schreiber with the points at 104 to 81 for the chasing American.

Jo Wallman (Bultaco-AUT): Two good rides in Switzerland and Germany put Austria on the trials map.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

1980 FIM WTC • International

Danio Galeazzi (SWM-ITA): SWM were becoming a much stronger team, and the Italian remained an important part of that.

ROUND 11: 31st AUGUST 1980 KARLSKOGA, SWEDEN. ENTRY: 54

At the close of the day in Sweden the FIM added a new trials world champion to its list as Karlson finished second to Schreiber to seal the 1980 title, with one round remaining, in his home country; he was elated. The event was held in the west of Sweden where the event was contested over two laps of 31 sections in a heavily wooded area. With the Italjet now looking and sounding so much more competitive, Schreiber carried his winning form and Karlson, try as he might, had no answer to the American’s riding. It was close at the finish of the event as Karlson accepted the handshake from Schreiber as the outgoing world champion.

As the champagne flowed with the first FIM Trials World Championship for Karlson and Montesa, Schreiber knew he had done all he could. On the final step of the podium in third position, Eddy Lejeune had pulled back more points on Vesterinen in the fight to finish the championship in the top three. Martin Lampkin got back into the points in seventh as Shepherd repeated his 12th position from the week before.

RESULTS: 1: Bernie Schreiber (Italjet-USA) 99; 2: Ulf Karlson (Montesa-SWE) 105; 3: Eddy Lejeune (Honda-BEL) 115; 4: Yrjo Vesterinen (Montesa-FIN) 121; 5: Antonio Gorgot (Ossa-ESP) 137; 6: Gilles Burgat (SWM-FRA) 139; 7: Martin Lampkin (SWM-GBR) 144; 8: Timo Ryysy (Bultaco-FIN) 146; 9: Manuel Soler (Montesa-ESP) 151; 10: Danio Galeazzi (SWM-ITA) 155; 11: Lars Brask (SWMSWE) 156; 12: Rob Shepherd (Honda-GBR) 159; 13: Jaime Subira (Fantic-ESP) 160; 14: Fred Michaud (Ossa-FRA) 167; 15: Charles Coutard (SWM-FRA) 169.

Timo Ryysy (Bultaco-FIN): This was another good young rider trying to make his way in the world championship.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki-GBR): ‘JR’ scored his four championship points in one go in Ireland at the opening round.

ROUND 12: 14th SEPTEMBER 1980 RICANY, CZECH REPUBLIC. ENTRY: 60

Yes, it was that man Schreiber who finished the world championship series with a win after three laps of 25 sections while also reflecting on what might have been. Who knows how the championship would have finished if Italjet had their new machine well developed when he moved from Bultaco mid-season? In a first for the world trials championship, it was an Italian one-two as Spain’s Jaime Subira on the Fantic finished second to Schreiber. Despite the small engine capacity of 156cc Subira used all his experience to finish so high in the results.

The icing on the cake for Fantic was from fellow Spanish rider Xavier Miquel, who took the last point in 10th as the red machines proved to be well up to the rigours in the tough world championship rounds. Ossa was pleased to finally break into the top three with the new yellow ‘Gripper’ model in the hands of Antonio Gorgot. In the fight for third position in the final championship, ‘Vesty’ out-pointed Eddy Lejeune, which secured it. Karlson was sixth followed by Rob Shepherd in his final world round on the four-stroke Honda. The mighty Japanese manufacturer had three four-stroke machines in the top 10 as Kiyoteru Hattori came home ninth on the 250cc model.

RESULTS: 1: Bernie Schreiber (Italjet-USA) 11; 2: Jaime Subira (Fantic-ESP) 20; 3: Antonio Gorgot (Ossa-ESP) 25; 4: Yrjo Vesterinen (Montesa-FIN) 26; 5: Eddy Lejeune (Honda-BEL) 33; 6: Ulf Karlson (Montesa-SWE) 34; 7: Rob Shepherd (Honda-GBR) 35; 8: Jean Luc Colson (Montesa-BEL) 37; 9: Kiyoteru Hattori (Honda-JPN) 37; 10: Xavier Miquel (Fantic-ESP) 38; 11: Ettore Baldini (ItaljetITA) 40; 12: Martin Lampkin (SWM-GBR) 40; 13: Charles Coutard (SWM-FRA) 43; 14: Timo Ryysy (Bultaco-FIN) 44; 15: Danio Galeazzi (SWM-ITA) 45.

Ettore Baldini (Bultaco-ITA): He had started the season on a Bultaco but, before the season closed, became yet another rider to change machines.

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International • 1980 FIM WTC

Ettore Baldini (Italjet-ITA): Who would have believed that before the season closed we would have two green Italjets finishing in the points in Finland!

Kiyoteru Hattori (Honda-JPN): The two world championship points were well deserved, riding the four-stroke Seeley Honda. These were the first FIM World Trials Championship points for a Japanese rider.

Nigel Birkett (Montesa-GBR): Scoring his only point in Ireland ‘Birks’ would not complete a full season on the Montesa.

1980 FIM WORLD TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS

RESULTS: 1: Ulf Karlson (Montesa-SWE) 121; 2: Bernie Schreiber (Bultaco/Italjet-USA) 111; 3: Yrjo Vesterinen (Montesa-FIN) 94; 4: Eddy Lejeune (Honda-BEL) 86; 5: Martin Lampkin (Bultaco/SWM-GBR) 51; 6: Manuel Soler (Bultaco/Montesa-ESP) 47; 7: Antonio Gorgot (Ossa-ESP) 41; 8: Malcolm Rathmell (Montesa-GBR) 40; 9: Rob Shepherd (Honda-GBR) 39; 10: Jaime Subira (Fantic-ESP) 29; 11: Gilles Burgat (SWM-FRA) 18; 12: Mick Andrews (Majesty Yamaha-GBR) 15; 13: Christian Desnoyers (SWM-FRA) 14; 14: Charles Coutard (SWM-FRA) 13; 15: Jo Wallman (Bultaco-AUT) 9; 16: Danio Galeazzi (SWM-ITA) 9; 17: Alberto Juvanteny (Ossa-ESP) 8; 18: Jean Marie Lejeune (Montesa-BEL) 5; 19: John Reynolds (Beamish Suzuki-GBR) 4; 20: Chris Myers (Bultaco-GBR) 4; 21: Timo Ryysy (Bultaco-FIN) 4; 22: Jean Luc Colson (Montesa-BEL) 3; 23: Ettore Baldini (Bultaco/Italjet-ITA) 3; 24: Fulvio Adamoli (Montesa-ITA) 3; 25: Fred Michaud (Ossa-FRA) 3; 26: Kiyoteru Hattori (Honda-JPN) 2; 27: Claude Goset (SWM-BEL) 2; 28: Xavier Miquel (Fantic-ESP) 1; 29: Pedro Olle (Montesa-ESP) 1; 30: Nigel Birkett (Montesa-GBR) 1.

WINNERS: Schreiber 6; Lejeune 3; Andrews 1; Karlson 1; Vesterinen 1.

NATIONALITIES: GBR: 7; ESP: 6; BEL: 4; FRA: 4; ITA: 3; FIN: 2; AUT: 1; JPN: 1; SWE: 1; USA: 1.

MACHINES: Montesa: 9; Bultaco: 7; SWM: 6; Honda: 3; Ossa: 3; Fantic: 2; Italjet: 2; Beamish Suzuki: 1; Majesty Yamaha: 1.

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Michelin started to make inroads to the trials tyre market after the domination by both Pirelli and Dunlop.

A TIME FOR CHANGE

It was a well-deserved 1980 FIM World Trials Championship for both Ulf Karlson and Montesa. Both had persevered from the start of the FIM series in 1975 to win the ultimate goal in the belief that one day it would happen and the dream would become a reality, and it did. Just like the once-mighty manufacturing of competition motorcycles in Great Britain that went into decline, it was now time for Bultaco to face the same reality. The dominant and strong Bultaco worldchampionship-winning team from 1975 to 1979 of Martin Lampkin, Yrjo Vesterinen and Bernie Schreiber was now over with Lampkin at SWM, Vesterinen at Montesa and Schreiber at Italjet. The Italians had arrived with Fantic, Italjet and SWM and now the power of motorcycle trials manufacturing was moving from Spain. On the rider front, many new faces had arrived in 1980 who would also reshape the future of world trials championship winners.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Catch up • Chris Griffin

CATCH UP

GRIFFO It’s often an association with another rider that opens the door to opportunity in any sporting circle. In the case of Chris Griffin it was the 1978 Scottish Six Days Trial that was the launch-platform for him to move up a gear and start to get the notice that would lead to the entry into the ACU British and FIM World Trials Championships, as well as other major events.

Words: John Moffat and Trials Guru with Chris Griffin Pictures: Alan Vines, Barry Robinson, Malcolm Carling, Eric Kitchen, Yoomee Archive and TMX

WATCH AND LEARN

At 14 years of age, a 125cc Dalesman Puch 125T gave Chris Griffin his first taste of trials riding, a popular choice at the time in Yorkshire as the machines were produced at Otley by Pete Edmondson. Passing his driving test in February 1974 helped immensely, as his father worked through weekends and Chris could only get to events if his friend rode so that he could cadge a lift to trials. Joining the Wetherby Motor Club introduced him to John Reynolds, who was to become a lifelong friend.

Griffin, who was at college as an apprentice motor engineer, discovered that on Wednesdays Malcolm Rathmell and Martin Lampkin, along with some other riders, assembled at Rob Shepherd’s farm at Pately Bridge for a practice session. He enquired if he could tag along to watch with his machine to gain some riding tips. When they had moved on to another section, Chris would try and emulate the established stars on the section they had just left.

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Chris: “Watching Malcolm and Martin really brought my riding on; it was like a crash course in trials; observing them carefully and doing what they did really helped my own riding skills. I was amazed how quickly I improved!”

NOVICE TO EXPERT

Moving swiftly from being a Novice through the ranks of Intermediate and then on to Expert status, he started to catch the eye of other established riders. In 1978 Chris finished

1978 SSDT (from left) Cliff Holden, ‘Griffo’ and Ernie Reynolds, John Reynolds’ father.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Chris Griffin • Catch up

In 1978, on his own privately owned Ossa, Chris finished fourth in the Lakes Two Day and was a regular top-20 performer at national trials.

fourth in the Lakes Two-Day and was a regular top-20 performer at national trials on his own privately owned Ossa. He had not entered the Scottish Six Days Trial due to the financial cost but, four days before the event, John Reynolds appeared at Ossa UK to collect his new SWM for the SSDT (Ossa UK and SWM machines were imported into the UK by Cliff and Roger Holden). Reynolds telephoned Griffin to ask if he would like to take over Geoff Guy’s ride in the Ossa team as Guy had broken his wrist. John had ‘named-dropped’ Chris to the importer Cliff Holden, who agreed that Griffin would ride Reynold’s old cantilever Ossa. The machine was despatched up to Scotland along with Reynold’s new SWM for Griffin to ride as a full team member of Ossa UK. After a quick check over of the machine by John and Chris on the Friday before setting off for Fort William, Chris was very happy about his new team ride. Despite the unfamiliar machine, he came home a very creditable 22nd place in the event. It was not bad for a

Testing the new 325cc Beamish Suzuki on the Beamish family farm in the latter part of 1979.

first attempt at the toughest trial in the world; I think we can all agree! He also picked up the Best 250cc cup and Best Newcomer award for his efforts. Chris continued with the Ossa until the September of that year when he was approached by Beamish Suzuki to join their trials team.

Chris: “Taking the opportunity to compete on the cantilever Ossa at the Scottish Six Days Trial and being paid to ride was an eye-opener, to say the least. I had tried this Ossa when out practising with ‘JR’ and it was so much better than my own standard production 250cc.

The cantilever suspension was a fair bit better compared to other machines at that time, and the engine had been quite heavily modified. It also featured a reed valve on the cylinder barrel.

“I can never thank John Reynolds enough for suggesting my name to Cliff Holden. They looked after me really well at the event and supported me until the opportunity arose to join JR and Chris Sutton in the Beamish Suzuki team.”

On the 325cc Beamish Suzuki on his way to fourth position in the Colmore, which was the first round of the 1979 ACU British Championship.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Everyone struggled with the handling of the 325cc Beamish Suzuki, until Chris asked them if they could fit the swinging arm from the 250cc model to try on his machine before Christmas in 1978.

Snow was still on the ground as he finished 22nd at the FIM World Trials Championship in Wales.

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Catch up • Chris Griffin

Back on the Cantilever Ossa at the 1979 Northern Experts Trial.

Looking to get his trials career back on track, he is seen here in September 1980 on the 200 Fantic model.

THE BEAMISH SUZUKI

Just look at the length of the exhaust on the Cantilever Ossa at the 1980 Lakes Two Day Trial!

Feet-up at the Greensmith Trial in late 1980, and looking very confident on the Fantic.

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Beamish Suzuki had invested heavily in the production of the new 325cc model, but for some strange reason, it looked better than it performed.

Malcolm Rathmell had ridden the machine in 1978, and it had not worked out for either himself or Beamish Suzuki, and he moved back to Montesa for the 1979 season. As 1978 rolled into 1979, a new Beamish Suzuki team was announced to include John Reynolds, Chris Griffin and Chris Sutton, riding the 325cc.

Chris: “Everyone struggled with the handling of the 325cc Beamish Suzuki until I asked them if they could fit me the swinging arm from the 250cc model to try on my machine before the Christmas in 1978. At that time, I had the 325cc and was fine-tuning it ready for my first ride on it in 1979. It transformed the machine into a winner! John Reynolds and Chris Sutton could not believe the difference it made. If only Malcolm Rathmell had tried one on his Beamish Suzuki before he left, things might have been different for him.

The 250cc model swinging arm was longer with a different rear shock absorber angle, and that made such an improvement to the handling characteristics that it transformed the machine.”

Despite the small 156cc engine size of the Fantic Chris loved the machine’s performance and handling, seen here in the sand at the Perce Simon Trial 1980.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Chris Griffin • Catch up

At the 1980 British Experts Trial with his career back on track.

Winning the 1981 Lomax Trial in Wales.

NEW-FOUND CONFIDENCE

With new-found confidence, his results just got better and better in 1979. It’s usually the case when someone has the talent, as then it is just a case of timing and being in the right place at the right time.

Chris: “I finished fourth in the Lakes Two-Day, fourth in the Colmore, the first round of the ACU British Championship before the FIM World Trials Championship started. At the opening round in Ireland, I came 19th, and 22nd in the English one. In Belgium, I had a serious machine problem with the 325cc Beamish Suzuki when I cracked the crankcase, which resulted in air being sucked in and affected its performance. In the Netherlands, I finished 15th and then 22nd in France. At the Scottish Six Days Trial, I was disappointed with my 28th position in the highlands, if I am honest.”

1981: With a new-found confidence the results just got better and better.

Finishing off 1980 with a strong third position at the end-of-season Northern Experts Trial.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

On the new 240 model Fantic at the 1982 Allan Jefferies Trial in his native Yorkshire.

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Catch up • Chris Griffin

Total concentration at the 1983 Cleveland ACU British Championship round.

FANTIC TIME

He rode the 325cc Beamish Suzuki until September 1979 but then changed back to the Ossa for a short period, before he moved to a Bultaco and then back to Ossa. In truth, his career was not in the best of places. Still, a move to the new 200 model Fantic in the late summer of 1980 changed all of that. His results and enthusiasm changed, with some good results coming his way including a championship point with 10th at the Red Rose and a strong third position at the end-of-season Northern Experts.

Chris: “Despite its smaller engine capacity of 156cc I loved riding the new red Fantic. In 1981, having won the national Lomax Trial and taken a fifth position in the Mitchell British Championship round in the April, it was then the Scottish Six Days Trial. It was all about Italian machines as Gilles Burgat took the first

Chris has ridden in one Pre-65 Scottish in 2006 on Arthur Lampkin’s 1963 SSDT wining BSA and finished ninth.

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Airborne on John Lampkin’s spare 300 Fantic at the 1984 Perce Simon Trial.

win for SWM and I had a very enjoyable week, finishing in 23rd position. I also won the Peak National Trial in the November. I won the Expert Yorkshire Centre Championship title and then moved to the new 240 Fantic when it arrived, but in truth, I preferred the 200 model.

I stayed with Fantic until the end of 1983.”

A FOUR-STROKE SHOCKER

In 1984 he moved to ‘Minding’ duties for his good friend John Lampkin, but by then he had lost the interest to ride in trials. That was until he had a rush of blood to the head to compete in the 1986 SSDT on a four-stroke Honda TLR! Chris: “To save repeating this story you need to look back into the last issue, number 33 of Classic Trial Magazine, where there is a more in-depth look at my four-stroke Honda days.

One of my best results on the Gollner Honda

was at an early-season 1987 Wetherby Trial on Rob Shepherd’s farm at Pately Bridge, where I beat Glen Scholey on his Colin Appleyard Honda RTL and Gerald Richardson on his over-bored 330cc Yamaha. I rode in one Pre-65 Scottish in 2006 on Arthur Lampkin’s 1963 SSDT winning BSA, and I finished ninth. Over the following years, I occasionally rode until around 2008.”

FAMILY COMMITMENTS

With a son moving into motocross and a daughter growing up, family commitments moved Chris away from competing in trials, but the story does not finish there regarding motorcycles. He can be found at the headquarters of Beta UK with his old friend John Lampkin, watching him running the tools over the Italian machines.

Second from left, Griffo helps to celebrate the 2011 win

by James Dabill on the Beta at the Scottish Six Days Trial.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Sidecar • 1979

Adrian Clarke - Mick Bailey (Montesa)

SIDECAR

KNUT CRACKER The excellent series of pictures that illustrate this feature was taken by Alan Vines when he attended the 1979 Knut Trial. It was the final round of that year’s ACU British Sidecar Trials Championship. Being a solo and a sidecar trial we will focus on the sidecar class that took part that winter and will allow your author to reminisce about the trials and the crews that enjoyed their sport in the winter some 41 years ago.

Words: Mike Rapley • Pictures: Alan Vines

T

he most notable observation that can be made is that there were 33 sidecar entries in the event that started from Lansdown Village Hall, just north of Bath, which is far greater than the number of sidecar crews that take part in a championship round these days. Thirtythree just dwarfs the average modern entry, which does well to attract 20 outfits. And there is a need to note that final rounds of championships rarely attract an entry as large as those usually found in earlier rounds of a series.

SWINGING SEVENTIES

John Turner - Reg Miller (Beamish Suzuki)

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Back in the ‘Swinging Seventies’ – and indeed for many years following – ACU British Championship points only went down to 10th position; points were awarded: 15,12,10,8,6,5,4,3,2,1, so to see that the final placings for 1979 series lists 20 points scoring outfits it becomes apparent that riding well enough to score points was no easy task. It’s obvious to see that the real star of that year, and indeed for a few years before 1979, was Adrian Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

1979 • Sidecar

John Gaskell - Harry Wood (Beamish Suzuki)

Colin Dommett - Rob Clift (Bultaco)

Joe and Paul Howells (Suzuki)

Barry Watson - Ronnie Suttill (Bultaco)

Clarke and his brilliant passenger Mick Bailey.

They were very much in a class of their own, having a reputation at the time equal to that of Robin Luscombe in later years. Clarke and Bailey won the title with a 32-point advantage over John Turner and Reg Miller, while in third place and ten points adrift were John Gaskell and Harry Wood, who went on to become multiple title-holders following the retirement of the Montesa mounted duo of Clarke and Bailey.

The sidecar scene of the era in which we are commenting was very popular, with some trials like the Richmond Club’s Gerald Simpson Two Day and the Manx Two Day attracting entries of up to 70 crews; a number that these days is almost unbelievable.

A GOOD DOZEN

It meant that there were a good dozen-or-so partnerships who could win a national trial if they had a good day and, looking through the 1979 Knut entry list, you can see national winners before 1979. In the following few years, it included Mick Wilkinson, Jack Mathews, Barry Watson, John Turner, Malcolm Ellis, Colin Dommett, Roger Martin, Mike Rapley, John Gaskell, Roy Bradley and Joe Howells.

Some other national winners, who were not entered for that final round, included Bruce Melville and the legendary Geoff Gadsby and Henry Gaunt who, in their day, were amazing on the most unlikely BSA powered outfit.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

One of the problems in writing articles like this for this great magazine is that your author has an awful memory, and never took notes at the time to which he could refer now! However, I think that I rode all the British Championship rounds of that year together with my passenger Mannix Devlin. We had been attracted to sidecars following a test outing on a Kawasaki 250 with BKS sidecar which led us to getting a Montesa 348 with BKS chair from Dick Harrison Motorcycles in Sedbergh, an outfit that we campaigned for nearly two years before the move to the more competitive Suzuki.

STAFF MEMBERS

At the time, we both worked as full-time staff members for Trials and Motocross News when the paper’s slogan was ‘We ride it, then we write it’; a fair synopsis of what we did conjure up by the Editor at the time, Bill Lawless. It meant a lot of travelling from Morecambe southwards, and, at one point, we even went down to Cornwall for a round, but which year that was is difficult to recall. We certainly took in trials like the D.K.Mansell, Colmore, Kickham, Knut, Mitchell, Peak, Hoad, Perce Simon, Sam Seston, West of England, Otter Vale Presidents, East Anglian, and a trial in Wales near Neath that was called the Harold Roberts which featured an amazing rock gully straight off a main road that was always well-populated with spectators.

Funny how some sections can be recalled!

The retirement of Clarke and Bailey following

Roger Martin - Arthur Jefford (Suzuki)

their 1979 Championship win came as no surprise to the regular contenders, as Adrian always appeared a less committed rider and, at the time, it seemed that he felt he had achieved his success and just wanted to go back to his normal weekends. He had out-ridden Colin Dommett and Eric Chamberlain to take the title while John Turner and Reg Miller were seen as masters in the mud as were the Howells’ father and son pairing; these East Anglian residents were another crew who reduced their outings.

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1979 • Sidecar

Malcolm Ellis - Allen Guest (Ossa)

Mick Wilkinson - Kevin Lockwood (Ossa & Montesa)

WIDE OPEN

It left the championship wide open for domination by John Gaskell and Harry Wood for a while before Robin Luscombe, and his vast number of different passengers became the dominant force for the next two decades. It has been asked many times why sidecar trials are no longer the popular events they once were. It’s not easy to give a definitive answer, but there are some obvious clues. When Suzuki, via the Beamish organisation in Brighton, made significant inroads to the world of UK trials. They made the brave decision to manufacture complete and very competitive sidecar outfits using a Mick Whitlock designed-and-built chassis just as they had for solo machines. We’ve no idea how many complete outfits bore the Beamish Suzuki plate, but it was a significant number, certainly enough to make a considerable difference to the number of active crews.

Being able to phone up your nearest trials dealer and order a Suzuki sidecar outfit certainly made the sidecar scene an attractive proposition. And not only were Suzukis available, so were Cota 348 model Montesas with a Barry Kefford fibreglass sidecar attached from Jim Sandiford and his nationwide Montesa dealership. There were other one-off manufacturers, including Bruce Rushton, who with his passenger Neil Watson, was a regular winner. Colin Hare was another, as was Harry Foster who made Otter sidecars down in Devon.

Dick Ramplee - Alan Bungay (Suzuki)

SLOW DEMISE

The slow demise of the sport can be traced to the loss of bulk manufacturing by the Beamish group as a starting point. Of course, riders made use of the other small-scale manufacturers, and indeed some made their own outfits as one-offs, but there had been nothing like the Beamish Suzuki before their production and certainly nothing since.

The sport didn’t die overnight, of course, but there’s no doubt that it slowly began to wane. Clubs who tried to keep the sport going gradually realised that where they once enjoyed 25–30 crews competing – and bear in mind that 30 crews are 60 individual competitors – saw their entries dwindle. It came to the point that the work involved in plotting a sidecar route in addition to a solo course was simply not worth doing. It frequently meant more work and a dedicated sidecar plotting crew, and maybe a few more observers to accommodate the chairmen.

Which brings us to the situation now, where there is a British Sidecar Championship series that may attract 25 entries if the club is lucky, but more likely the number drops off as the year progresses – in normal times, of course. Outside of the title rounds, there’s little for sidecar competitors to ride which, unfortunately, will enhance the demise of the three-wheel scene.

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Colin Hare - Doug Wolstenholme (Suzuki)

Dave Pallas - Paul Croome (Montesa)

Charlie and Geoff Shopland (Bultaco)

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Sidecar • 1979

John York - Trevor Wall (Suzuki)

A DIFFERENT SPORT

If that happens, it would be a great shame, because riding a trials sidecar is a very different sport from riding a solo trials motorcycle. Ask multi-time British Champion Steve Saunders who recently took up riding sidecars. Any thoughts of him immediately hitting the top were soon dispelled when it became apparent that, while his undoubted solo ability helped, he was by no means a potential winner straight off. He may well make the grade, but there is a lot more to riding a sidecar than meets the eye!

The question that needs to be asked becomes obvious ‘Is there a future for sidecars in trials?’

– and that’s a tough one to answer. As solo trials become more and more technical and the rider abilities stretch even further into the impossible for those of an older school, so the sidecar scene is even less attractive.

There’s not much in the way of special tricks

Jack Mathews - Tony Gunstone (Suzuki)

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Mike Rapley - Mannix Devlin (Montesa)

on a sidecar apart from hopping the front wheel round and floating a chair across a camber.

Perhaps sidecars could see a revival if a batch of, say, 50 outfits was made attached to or, at least, be able to be connected to a modern solo. But that would be a massive investment with a real risk that they would not sell.

What comes first: new sidecars, or more sidecar trials? If you have the answer fine, but then who will put it into practice? Until then, I guess that it’s a case of hoping that there is enough interest for a British Championship to continue and that there are enough interested crews to ensure the series survives. I certainly hope so on a personal level.

It may well be 40-odd years since Mannix and I were a competitive crew on the national scene, and there’s absolutely no doubt that we had a great time chasing championship points all over the country. I would heartily recommend it to any aspiring sidecar riders.

1979 ACU BRITISH SIDECAR TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP

RESULTS: 1: Adrian Clarke/Mick Bailey (Montesa) 119; 2: John Turner/Reg Miller (Beamish Suzuki) 87; 3: John Gaskell/Harry Wood (Beamish Suzuki) 77; 4: Colin Dommett/Rob Clift (Bultaco) 59; 5: Joe and Paul Howells (Suzuki) 58; 6: Barry Watson/ Ronnie Suttill (Bultaco) 53; 7: Roger Martin/Arthur Jefford (Suzuki) 50; 8: Malcolm Ellis/Allen Guest (Ossa) 40; 9: Mick Wilkinson/Kevin Lockwood (Ossa/Montesa) 31; 10: Dave Pallas/Paul Croome (Montesa) 29; 11: Dick Ramplee/Alan Bungay (Suzuki) 16; 12: Charlie and Geoff Shopland (Bultaco) 12; 13: Geoff Hands/Doug Cooper (Suzuki) 10; 14: Roy Wilkins/Glen Coleman (Ossa) 6; 15: Walter Bulloch/Brian Pearce (Yamaha) 4; 16: Colin Hare/Doug Wolstenholme (Suzuki) 3; 17: Norman Iveson/Richard Kirkbride (Montesa) 2; 18: Bill and Kath Sherras (Kawasaki) 2; 19: John York/ Trevor Wall (Suzuki) 1; 20: Bruce Melville/Colin Lambe (Bultaco) 1.

Phil and Ned Sparkes (Suzuki)

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Replica • Trials

T

rialReplic is a family business created out of a passion for our wonderful sport of motorcycle trials. The company is dedicated to the meticulous manufacture of 1:6 scale replicas of motorcycle trials models in miniature, using both metal and plastic materials in their production.

TRIALS ENTHUSIAST

The one-and-only Toni Bou, with his TrialReplic Montesa award at the 2019 FIM Trial World Championship round in Spain.

TRIALREPLIC MODELS

MINIATURE MACHINES Who saved and used their pocket money to buy and build plastic model toys’ Back in the Day’ and started to collect them? I certainly did, but back then it was aeroplanes and tanks! I am sure somewhere along the line I purchased a Husqvarna motocross model though, which was my pride and joy. In truth, what I really wanted was a kit model of my Ossa Mick Andrews Replica. It never happened back in 1976, but at a recent 2019 FIM Trial World Championship round, I noted that some of the main awards presented were, as a celebration of 50 years of the iconic Montesa Cota, machines in 1:6 scale model format made from plastic and steel. The awards came from a Spanish Company called TrialReplic who manufacture replica miniature trials models to 1:6 scale. Pretty soon I found that they also produced a model of my Ossa and a range of other trials motorcycles.

Words: John Hulme and Francisco Climent Pictures: Trialreplic – Trials Media – Pep Segales/FIM

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Motorcycle trials has always been very much a part of the life of the CEO of TrialReplic, Francisco Climent Valls.

He has been a trials enthusiast from a very young age and one who continues to actively be a part of the twowheeled sport, attending many events with his family.

In 1953 the old CLIM company located in Ibi, Spain, was dedicated to the manufacture of toys. It specialised in self-powered toys that could move along unaided, which at the time was completely new.

In 1970 a decision was made to change direction with the company, and they decided to adapt towards a new business model manufacturing replica models of trial motorcycles. The followers of trials and its riders loved this new concept, and the range of models available at that time was very successful.

In 2013 Francisco Climent, who was one of the Clim’s founding partners, decided to relaunch the trials models.

Francisco took the old moulds and reshaped all of them to new working standards. After many years of dedication and hard work, the moulds were fully restored, reshaped and adapted to meet the new higher standards of production expected in the modern era. Thus a new chapter in the history of Trialreplic began, and a new range of miniatures was born.

A NEW CHAPTER

The plan and ideas for the range of 1:6 replica trials models opened a new chapter in 2016 as Francisco and his family begin to distribute their fantastic miniatures. They started selling their models to family and friends and little by little they started to become known in the paddock of the Spanish Trials Championships. The family’s son, Alex

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Trials • Replica

Standing proud in the Classic Trial Magazine office: the Montesa Cota Ulf Karlson Replica from TrialReplic.

Climent Brotons competes at these events, and so they have a natural connection to the modern world of trials.

Following on from the great success the replicas had, TrialReplic began to distribute their models through specialised retail toy and motorcycles stores.

In 2017 TrialReplic launched its website, www.trialreplic.com, to reach out to a larger client base and open up to Europe and the Americas. All models, and the window, display cases are available and can be shipped around the world.

It requires a lot of attention to detail to create the replicas, and the production process of these miniatures is very rigorous.

All models are assembled by hand, one by one, with the highest precision and special care. All these models are then thoroughly checked by hand after production and before shipping to ensure continuity of perfect quality. Francisco’s daughter, Patricia Climent, joined the company in 2017 to oversee quality control, so the TrialReplic team now consists of Francisco and his family.

Honda TLR.

PRODUCTION

All the models are made of plastic material (20%) and metal (80%) which provides an incomparable touch and finish to each model. The process of each miniature follows seven main steps: 1: Manufacture of the Zamak injection handlebar and chassis by pressure; 2: Inverted cold-cut matrix part and drawing for the development of the Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

Mick Andrews MAR Ossa.

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Replica • Trials

John Hulme, Classic Trial Magazine: “I must say that the replica trials models are a credit to the family behind them. Yes, I was quite excited when my Montesa arrived from Spain, and it certainly has a permanent position in my office”.

Honda RTL in its red version.

tank; 3: Injection of PVC thermoplastics for the covers; 4: Careful assembly by hand of each replica; 5: Quality control checks; 6: Packaging; and 7: Shipping.

AWARDS

Gabriel Marchelli receives his TrialReplic model award for winning the 2019 FIM Trial2 World Championship.

Today the miniatures are being used as awards in the Spanish National Trials Championship and, at the highest level, the FIM Trial World Championship. They have been given as prizes to Albert Cabestany, Jeroni Fajardo, Jordi Tarres and the most successful rider in the history of the sport, Toni Bou. The top rider in the FIM Ladies’ World Championship, Emma Bristow, also has one in her growing collection of trophies. Organisations and individual clubs have also become customers to present these models as awards and trophies which make a superb gift to the recipient. Each model is a unique piece to display in a special place in your home or workplace.

and its iconic version of the Cota 247, the Ulf Karlson Replica. The Honda RTL in its red-and-white versions is also very popular.

Also included in the model range are the Ossa MAR Mick Andrews Replica and the Honda TLR. TrialReplic is now working on expanding the model range with the legendary Bultaco Sherpa. They anticipate the model will be available before Christmas, so remember to pre-order your model to avoid disappointment.

TrialReplic has also designed a specific, clear display case with a wooden base and an identification plate. The clear windows are made of transparent methacrylate to protect and keep each model clean. The company is committed to bringing memories back to life for every motorcycle trial enthusiast by producing these unique and exclusive gifts. TrialReplic models are available from

the website: www.trialreplic.com. If you are attending the 21st edition of the Ventoux Trial Classic in October, the company will be presenting their range of models in France for the first time.

John Hulme: “I must say that these replica trials models are a credit to the family behind them. I completely agree with Francisco Climent that they make perfect gifts to people of all ages. The quality of reproduction is excellent. I thought it was quite fitting that they presented them to riders at the highest level of the sport the FIM Trial World Championship to celebrate 50 years of the Montesa Cota, and they were very well received. I am sure that they also have a future as an award for the many trials championships around the world. They certainly have a permanent position in my office as a reminder of our superb sport.”

PRODUCT RANGE

The product range includes the best-selling model, which is the Montesa Cota 247 84

TrialReplic has also designed a clear display case with a wooden base and an identification plate to protect the replica models.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

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Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

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Project • Beta TR34

PART ONE

MIX ‘N’ MATCH Just over three years ago, I acquired a bit of a mix-andmatch Beta TR34 model with the intention of quickly putting it together and moving it on. As you can tell that did not happen!

Article: Heath Brindley and R2W Trials Pictures: Heath Brindley, R2W Trials, Yoomee Archive and Eric Kitchen

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Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Beta TR34 • Project

I

took the Beta TR34 apart to see what was needed (1) and then put it in several boxes and hid them away, with only the frame and seat/tank unit as constant visual reminders that it had ever existed.

The air-cooled mono models are a nice middle ground between modern machines and the old twin-shocks. The suspension is a bit better, and the brakes usually work, and they are a bit lighter in weight with a slightly moremoder n feel. So far with air-cooled mono-shock machines, they’re taken a little

1

Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

less seriously in the rules department in general, with the main focus of awards and championships being with the older machines.

With that in mind, I have decided to modernise this one during the build as I’m not going to be entering significant championships and will more than likely ride it against modern machines at club trials.

No, it’s not me in the opening pictures or my Beta. It is a certain Robert Crawford in action on the production TR34 model in 1989. When this Beta arrived, it turned out to be a bit of a

strange one. It certainly had the 1989 260cc engine, frame, tank/seat unit and forks but the sub-frame was steel, the rear wheel was a nonflanged tube type and the rear brake an older style. It was also discovered that the standard steel swing arm was twisted, a common problem even back in the day.

REV3 – EVO

So this Beta TR34 (2) will now become even more mix and match as I have found a nice set of late Rev3/early Evo front forks and yokes from

2

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Project • Beta TR34

3

4

a 125cc or 200cc model. This means they are chrome finish and not that black coating that looks great when new but after a while starts to wear and spoil the effect. Also, Steve Goode came up with a good-priced Beta Techno alloy swing arm, rear brake and rear wheel, and I acquired a good assortment of other useful used items from various outlets, including all that was needed to convert the kickstart to the much nicer Rev3 version.

A silencer in much better condition was obtained, but it still needed cutting and repacking, and the front pipe had been modified by repeated contact with rocks in a previous life. Carlos Galvez in Spain is a master of exhaust fabrication, and he said to send it over.

260CC PISTON

(3) A new, ‘rare as rocking horse manure’, 260cc piston ring was also found. So, along with new seals and gaskets, the engine has been built up with new main bearings. I also

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had a new set of Boyesen Carbon Reeds kindly donated by David Rhodes in Canada from some of his old stock, so they have replaced the originals. I could have almost walked in through the gap in them when they were supposedly closed!

(4) I have to admit that I haven’t gone the full way with the engine and it may turn out that the big end and the cylinder barrel may need further work. I am working to a budget here and didn’t just want to throw money at re-chrome and crank work when they didn’t appear to have big issues.

(5) It’s also not a big job to get the engine back out if needed.

Also, for cost reasons, I did not have the machine fully sprayed or powder coated. My aim at first is to make the Beta mechanically sound and ride it for a bit before deciding if I want to tart it up. As I will be riding in some Welsh rockery, it may just as well be a good idea to leave the paint as it is!

QUICK FIX

Of course, I had a silly idea that all was going to fit together easily and quickly, how wrong could I be! (6) Fitting the Techno model swinging arm would have been much easier if I had purchased the whole linkage assembly as well. (7) But it turns out there are small differences between the TR34 one and the newer Techno. For a start, the dog-leg end bearings and bushes have been changed from the spherical ones to bearing and bushes. I was told that with some heat on the linkage and freezing the bearings, they would go together, no worries — well, I had to ream them out a bit.

(8) Luckily I had purchased a few extra bearings, as on the first attempt I had so much pressure in use the bearings started to deform! Steve Goode again came up with the goods when I needed new bushes for the linkage block.

Again, there were a few small differences as far as bushes and top hat washers go. The TR34 had linkages that were fitted

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with grease nipples, and the bushes had to be split to allow the grease to reach the bearings.

(9) But later they went to a solid bolt and bush idea, and you just had to service it regularly. I do remember on my 1988 model back in the day that I would break the main long linkage bolt once every few months. I am guessing the hollow bolt was the reason for this, as well as, perhaps, not such smooth riding.

MY OWN MAKING

The front end also proved to be a bit of a problem, and totally of my own making. (10) Along with the later front forks, I have a new Braktec four-piston mono-block brake calliper, and I also purchased a Rev3 front wheel.

However, none of the spacers I had for the wheel would allow the disc to sit in the correct place.

Not having my own lathe, something that will be rectified in due course, I couldn’t just knock up new ones to suit. Amazingly I found a spare set of rear wheel spacers were a perfect fit lengthwise, but the hole in the middle was too small. The same man that will weld the silencer back together is going to increase the bore size on those.

(11) I was in two minds about the rear sub-frame as the original should be a lighter aluminium version, but they have a reputation of wearing through or bending very easily. The one I have is steel, probably off an ST, but I am thinking for that little bit of extra weight it could well survive my clumsy riding for longer.

It does, however, make tweaking the brackets to allow the airbox to fit a bit harder. Aluminium responds to a sharp smack with a hammer much better!

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S3 PARTS

(12) John R Shirt, at Trialendurodirect, and Michel Kaufman, at S3 Parts, supplied a full set of the lovely S3 accessories to improve the look and performance of the machine, including lever adjusters, footrests, chain adjusters, carburettor screws, brake lever, wheel graphics, (13) Buffalo handlebar and the clamp-on grips.

(14) Of course, Michelin tyres are on now that I have a proper flanged tubeless rear wheel.

(15) The new silencer had a bit of a rattle which I could have ignored and just fitted it, but curiosity got the better of me, so I grabbed the Dremel and cut it around the weld to see what was in there. It turned out there was a black mess that may have at one time been silencer 90

packing and lots of strange, small-holed pieces of aluminium! Between the two silencers I had, there were enough parts of the centre pipe to create a new one, and my friendly welder/ fabricator is going to join it all back together shortly.

SHOCKING

(16) The rear shock absorber was another area that caused some fun, as I had three. One was completely wrong, but the other two appeared to be at least the correct length and fitting.

Autumn 2020 • Classic Trial Magazine

Beta TR34 • Project

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(17) One even had the original-style remote reservoir, but the pipe that joined it to the shock was about 30cm too long and appeared to be much smaller diameter than I had imagined.

The box of parts I had also had another shorter braided pipe that almost looked correct, so the best-looking shock, pipe and reservoir were shipped off to Ohlin’s technician Andy Dawson to see what he could make of them. After some discussion about pipe position and whether the shock itself was actually original or not he built it all up with new seals and oil, and it’s now sitting on the Beta with the newly rebuilt linkage. I didn’t originally have the rear shock guard piece that sits under the rear mudguard and down the rear of the airbox, but several examples have been found.

Also not present was the original long-style rear brake master cylinder. A cheap e-bay pitbike one had been fitted, but that didn’t look like it was going to last long.

(18) Luckily my spares bin included a couple of the AJP short-style ones that are more familiar on modern machines. I just had to get handy with the bench grinder and modify the rod to fit the pedal. BVM-Moto has been a good source of small parts; front sprocket, air filter, SKF silicon fork seals and all oils have been sourced from them, and also a nice anodised red Evostyle gear lever.

and the (20) tank and seat unit, along with the frame, will get a proper paint job. I did consider having the fork lowers and triple clamps done in the original blue, but as they are very obviously more modern items, it would just look like I was trying to hide them. Of course, there is the chance that all this mix and match won’t work at all. I could end up with a ‘Bitsa’ that rides like a sack of spuds, but it’s fun trying out these ideas. It’s taken a lot longer to get this far than first thought, but it may surprise many people to learn that I have actually been working all through the lock-down period, so time in the garage has been limited!

COMING TOGETHER

(21) Hopefully, within the next month, all the parts will come together, and I can get out and try the Beta before winter sets in. I am sure that many in the south-east of the country will recall that the Beta TR34 wasn’t the best gripping machine in the mud, and to be totally honest, I am not the most accomplished rider in it either even worse than my dry riding! Luckily South Wales, where I do much of my playing these days, has more rock than mud so at least I get a bit longer before the snow and ice set in. Many of my riding mates are twin-shock owners and

ride in local classic/twin-shock events. I’ve not really had the urge to ride competitions at all for some years now, and I think I entered just three trials in 2019.

The idea behind the Beta is that I can go to a few of their trials and enter the air-cooled mono class and just ride with them and have a laugh.

If people are a bit sniffy about the new forks and brakes, I am perfectly happy to ride for no award; just riding is the aim. If I enjoy it, I will do a few normal modern machine trials on it.

Of course, if I enjoy it too much, I can see a new modern rear shock being fitted, and perhaps a Keihin carburettor. Maybe, just maybe.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this project. Remember that when you start these rebuild projects, many modern after-market parts can be used and are available from the advertisers who support this magazine. Please go and look at their websites and you will be surprised what you can find.

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AS IT STANDS

So the situation as it stands is this: just about all the parts that are needed have been found, and most are fitted. Major items that are keeping me from riding the Beta are the exhaust and a front brake hose. As mentioned before, the front pipe was sent off to Carlos Galvez in Spain, but it was about a week before the COVID-19 shutdown hit Spain and us here in the UK. Along with other considerations at Carlos’ end, it meant that nothing happened to it for several months and, at the time of writing, the pipe is due to leave him and head back to the UK. (19) I did actually give the frame a few coats of spray hard enamel white; the hand-painted grey it arrived in just wasn’t doing it for me. But if all this mucking about works and I enjoy riding it, then a new graphics kit will be purchased Classic Trial Magazine • Autumn 2020

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